


A Growing Family

by Moon_Rose (Moonrose91)



Category: Rise of the Guardians (2012)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Family, M/M, So very much
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2012-12-24
Updated: 2014-03-25
Packaged: 2017-11-22 05:56:28
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 26
Words: 20,568
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/606529
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Moonrose91/pseuds/Moon_Rose
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jack loves children.</p><p>Why would he abandon a spirit child, lost and alone?</p><p>
  <a href="http://rotg-kink.dreamwidth.org/1511.html?thread=735719#cmt735719">Prompt Here</a>
</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Aerfen

**Author's Note:**

> I am pairing Pitch and Jack because, one, it was in the prompt (sort-of) and, two...they wrote themselves that way.
> 
> I am slightly disturbed by that.
> 
> Actually; rephrase, I am _really_ disturbed by that.

The first child spirit Jack meets is a small girl. Small in that she's easy to carry, but her age is negotiable.  
  
Jack figures his is too, most days.  
  
He's half a century old when he finds her, confused and lost in the woods, and he immediately kneels down, even though at first he doesn't think that she can see him. He always leans down to talk to children, because maybe one day they'll see him.  
  
Her hair is red, impossibly red, fire-bright red, and a mass of curls. She is wearing a simple dress, and her shoes are not the best for this weather. In fact, she doesn't even have a coat and Jack smiles at her, though she doesn't seem to see him, and asks, "What's wrong little one?"  
  
She immediately jumps and turns to him, surprising him, but then her eyes, bright, bright, green, well up with tears and she throws herself at him, wrapping her arms tightly around his neck and she is sobbing.  
  
He wraps one arm around her and, through her tears and sobs, he picks out how no one has seen her for  _weeks_  and she doesn't understand.  
  
Jack stills a bit before he carefully shifts his grip on his staff and shifts his arm so he can hold her with one arm, carefully, and cuddles her close. "Well, I'm here now, little one. My name's Jack Frost," he stated and she shifted a bit so she could talk.  
  
"My name's Aerfen...I think," she answered softly and Jack smiled a bit.  
  
"Well, Aerfen, do you want to see a great cathedral?" Jack asked softly.  
  
"What's a cathedral?" she asked, tears forgotten and Jack laughed, the Wind already sweeping him up and into the air, careful now, especially with the precious being in Jack's arm.  
  
"Well, you're in for a treat," Jack stated and immediately flitted off, like a snowflake on the wind.  
  
And the girl laughed, bright and loud.  
  
And Jack relished in the sound.  
  
It was nice to hear a child laugh from the joy he seemed to spread around without conscious thought.


	2. Robin

The second child is Robin and it is not Jack who finds him, but Aerfen.  
  
She had disappeared and Jack had rushed to find her, and then her voice came, high and bright. "Why are you crying?" she asked and Jack followed it to find her talking up at a boy who has pointed ears, who seems to be floating in the air.  
  
"I wasn't crying!" the boy shouted, but it was obvious that he was.  
  
"Yes you were! I heard and saw you! It is okay to cry though! Papa Jack says it is bad to keep everything inside," Aerfen answered and Jack mentally winced at that.  
  
He didn't keep everything inside, per-say, but he never actually deal with anything, unless it had to do with Aerfen. Aerfen, who was cheerful and bright, and moved to tears every time either she or Jack were walked through, but loved to play as Jack did, on the sidelines.  
  
She had taken to calling him 'Papa Jack' at some point, and Jack never stopped her.  
  
Jack just mostly hated that, in the ten years he had cared for Aerfen, they still didn't have any place to really call 'home.'  
  
Or, really, food that Jack didn't steal, and usually just for Aerfen.  
  
But the boy is eyeing Jack and Jack waves. "She's right. It is okay to cry," Jack answers.  
  
And then he winces when he is walked through and the boy stares at them.  
  
"You're...You're like me?" the boy asked and Aerfen nodded.  
  
"People walk through us all the time. Papa Jack tries to keep them from walking through me, but he's never so careful with himself," Aerfen stated, grabbing Jack's hand to drag him out of traffic.  
  
Jack laughed a bit, but Robin hops down and his head is at Jack's shoulder. This close, Jack can see translucent wings curling out of the boy's back and Jack smiles. "I'm Jack Frost and this is Aerfen. What's your name?" Jack offered and the boy reaches out, gently touching Jack's cheek, jerking back in shock when it makes contact.  
  
He darts up and he hesitates before landing again. "Robin. I...I know it was important once, but I can barely remember it, most days," Robin introduced and Jack smiled.  
  
"Well, if you stay with Aerfen and I, we can make sure you never forget it," he stated.  
  
"I always wanted a big brother!" Aerfen exclaimed.  
  
Jack almost thinks Robin will say 'no' and flit away.  
  
Instead, Robin nearly sends them both sprawling into the street as he crashes into Jack, gripping him tight in a hug while Aerfen cheers before sending them into a wall as she joins in on the hug.


	3. Chantel and Peter

Jack finds the three of them a cave that is out of the way. It is near the lake he was born from and, in between stealing food that is not needed, and finding the best bits, he steals things that people don't seem to need, but always makes sure to grab from those who can afford to miss it, which means long treks over the ocean and zipping back as quick as he can.  
  
But he gets blankets and sheets that people don't want, or need, anymore. There are no beds, but they can make something close and the warmest go to Robin and Aerfen, who do not age, and remain as they were the day Jack finds them.  
  
He brings games to the children that do not see him as well as his own two, and guards them all, but especially the two in his care, almost fanatically.  
  
He has seen the dark creatures in the shadows that are not the Boogeyman's (he has heard of, but never seen, the King of Fear). He knows what they will do if they get their hands on Robin and Aerfen.  
  
It is chasing down one of these creatures and fighting them off how he meets Chantel, who is so small and delicate that Jack is afraid that she will break if he holds her, but she is stronger then she looks, and clings to him far tighter then Aerfen or even Robin.  
  
She cries, because she is scared, and Jack holds her close and whispers comforting promises that he knows he will keep, even if he must pay with his life, because Jack Frost does not break promises.  
  
She calls him "Mama" and Jack does not stop her, having long deposited the tattered cloak he once wore with pride for a long coat that has a high collar that does look a bit like a dress.  
  
He does not mind being called it, either, because he fills both the roles of mother and father for the spirit children he keeps finding, which is now up to three.  
  
Aerfen coos over having a little sister and Robin sighs over having  _another_  girl, but he smiles as well, his wings a big brighter, a bit more noticeable now.  
  
He finds Peter a week later.  
  
With four spirit children, Jack can barely find enough food to feed them all.  
  
They don't need it often, but when they do, they feel the odd pangs of hunger.  
  
Jack has long ago shoved aside any thoughts of his own comfort and has found that he can sustain himself by soaking up the full moon's light, once a month.  
  
It is not as good as food, but he saves every scrap for the four in his care.  
  
Besides, he is happy to have fun.  
  
He can start up games and flit about and smile over Robin and Chantel ganging up on Aerfen and Peter.  
  
Jack isn't sure how well it works, in either direction, but they laugh and none of the human children Jack plays with run through them.  
  
They run through Jack, but he pretends that it doesn't hurt.  
  
It is on a moonless night that Jack meets someone who is going to change the family's life forever.


	4. Pitch Black

Chantel giggles as she runs ahead, Robin flying after her with a sigh. Aerfen is clinging to Jack's hand while Peter keeps trying to see if he can find any fireflies, no matter how many times Jack tells him that they don't survive in the cold of winter, the only place Jack can survive in as well.  
  
He hates having to uproot the entire family when spring comes, to devoid them of joys that other children know, but he cannot stay and they are understanding as they make their way down to the southern half of the world.  
  
For now, they are wandering through the cold and moonless night of a desert, so Jack figures there wouldn't be any fireflies about anyway, even if there were able to survive. He walks with his staff on his shoulder and he frowns a bit when Robin and Chantel disappear around a rock. "Robin, Chantel?" he calls.  
  
When there is no answer, he begins to pick up speed, fear rushing through his veins and panic clinging to his heart. He turns the corner and finds himself staring at Robin turning back around, mouth open to say something and Chantel...hugging a very tall and thin man with grey skin.  
  
"Sorry Mama," Robin stated and Jack just sags with relief before pulling Robin into a tight hug.  
  
He has never cared about the change of name after Chantel started calling him that, despite all the others trying to explain how he was male, and thus Papa, before giving up and going with the flow.  
  
Peter teased it was because Jack was far more the mother then the father, but his eyes were hesitant.  
  
Jack's answer in rubbing his deathly snow pale hand through Peter's shockingly black hair (by comparison) was enough to have Peter to relax and the nickname to stay.  
  
Once reassured that his dark haired, winged, menace is safe, Jack focuses on Chantel, who is still hugging the man.  
  
The man, with grey skin and black hair, dressed in black robes, blending almost as seamlessly into the night as Peter does. "Chantel, sweetie, you don't hug strangers," Jack stated as he walked forward, easily kneeling down and becoming the one to be gripped onto tightly by the black haired girl with eerily pale skin.  
  
He carefully shifted his arm so he could pick her up as he stood and smiled apologetically up at the statue still man. "I'm sorry. She loves to hug. And she always seems to know who can and cannot touch her," Jack apologized, even as Aerfen pressed against his side and Robin landed next to Jack, one hand resting on Peter's shoulder.  
  
"It...it is quite all right. Just...unexpected," the man answered and Jack suddenly remembered his manners.  
  
"My apologies. My name is Jack Frost," Jack introduced and the man gave a smile.  
  
"Pitch Black. Are they...all yours?" Pitch questioned and Jack looked around at the four, who were huddled close and staring up at Pitch with wide eyes.  
  
"Well, yes. They're my children," Jack answered.  
  
Pitch eyed him and Jack watched him, feeling Peter shifting next to him. He didn't even hesitate.  
  
He dropped his staff and did not flinch when Pitch kept it from clattering to the ground, even as he felt a spike of fear race through his chest at it in the hands of another, the last time resulting in it being broken, but it had been in exchange for Chantel and was worth it.  
  
He did not think on that, however, as he caught Peter's wrist. "Don't," Jack warned before he released Peter's wrist and caught Aerfen's wrist next with the same warning. She huffed and Jack relaxed, reaching for his staff and thanking Pitch when the man handed it back.  
  
"How do you handle their nightmares?" Pitch asked.  
  
"Talk it through, mostly. Sometimes, you need nightmares," Jack answered and Chantel giggled into Jack's neck.  
  
"Boogeyman funny," she whispered, her voice soft and lilting, accented oddly.  
  
She rarely spoke, however, and Jack let his eyes flicker up to Pitch. "You are not the worst thing they have to fear, Nightmare King," Jack added softly and he then turned to the remaining children, kneeling down slightly.  
  
"Up you go Peter," he stated and Peter managed to balance on Jack's back, maneuvering his arms around to latch onto Jack without strangling him and without hurting Chantel. Jack easily shifted Chantel so Peter could lock his legs around Jack's waist and, with help from his staff, stood up.  
  
Pitch watched them, his eyes lingering on Chantel, the first child to see him in who knew how long, even as Robin picked up Aerfen. "I would love to chat, but home is not close by and I don't think I could survive getting caught in the desert sun," Jack explained and Pitch gave a distracted nod.  
  
"Good evening, Nightmare King," Jack stated and the Wind lifted him and his charges up and away, Robin quickly following.  
  
"Why didn't you just blast him Mama?" Peter groused.  
  
"It is not a bad thing to fear the Boogeyman. He teaches you how to survive the bigger and badder things out there," Jack answered simply and Chantel whimpered softly in his grip, even as Jack softly hushed her.  
  
It would be a long night, Jack could tell.


	5. Crystal Light

Jack smiled as Robin blew lightly into the crystals that decorated their 'home' (Jack hated the fact a cave was their home, but what could he do? He would not steal wood, and any home he made would be of ice and snow and freeze his children and he could not do that to them). He had made them when he suddenly remembered that he could, that someone  _important_  had taught him it, but the name always escaped him.  
  
At the time, they had been in a cave that had crystals growing in it, and Jack, because he was not having his children try and get them, had managed, using his own powers and his own two hands.  
  
He had made sure to clean up every speck of blood and to make sure his hands had stopped bleeding before he returned, but now they were beautiful, and Robin was proud of them, but grew frustrated when, not even an hour after creating them, he could no longer remember how he did it.  
  
Jack could not tell him and Jack wondered who Robin had been once upon a time.  
  
For now, the light filled the cave like pale moonlight, a mark of magic that Robin could still wield, but did not even know how, and blowing lightly on the crystals had them lighting up while another had them fall dark.  
  
That had been years ago, now, and they were still strong.  
  
Jack smiled as he carefully helped tuck Chantel and Aerfen into their pile of warmth, carefully cradeling one of the crystals before setting it at their head, Aerfen already cuddling close with Chantel. "Good night Aerfen. Sweet dreams," Jack whispered and leaned over, pressing a kiss to his oldest daughter's forehead.  
  
She shifted a bit, affected by the cold and Jack, just like always, mentally winced before he smiled down at Chantel. "Good night Chantel. Sweet dreams," he whispered and pressed a kiss to her forehead next.  
  
"Cold," Chantel whispered and Jack smiled a bit at that, even when he just wanted to wince.  
  
"I know Chantel. I'm sorry," he answered and stood, glancing at his own pile of things.  
  
He quickly went over to it and pulled out the thickest fur he had. He used it to sleep on, but Chantel rarely said anything, so he returned, carefully tucking it around the pair before heading into the back where the boys were settling down.  
  
Robin was on the outside, back exposed and Jack immediately knelt down, carefully tucking the blankets around Robin's back to keep him from freezing before he reached over to tuck Peter in, the boy giving only his usual complaints to keep up the illusion of not needing his 'mama' to tuck him in.  
  
"You all right?" Jack asked as he worked on tucking a scarf he had taken from a tree down Robin's spine, right between the wings.  
  
Robin's soft sigh of relief and the relaxation of wings once the tucking in was done and the scarf placed pained Jack, but he couldn't help that he was cold, that he sent it out in waves.  
  
"Its colder then last night," Peter stated and Jack nodded.  
  
"Makes sense," Jack stated, carefully placing one of the lighted crystals at their heads.  
  
"It is nearly time for the longest night of the year," Jack answered softly as he stood, padding over to his pile of things. He pulled out the thickest things, and paused to tuck another around the girls, who were shivering lightly, and then to the boys, being as quick as he could.  
  
He put fires out, he could not make them, and he smiled a bit as Peter buried himself into the warmth along with Robin. "Good night Robin, Sweet dreams," he stated and carefully ran his fingers through Robin's hair.  
  
"Good night Peter. Sweet dreams," Jack stated and leaned over, doing the same.  
  
Both protested getting good night kisses unless they were feeling distressed and Jack respected their choice.  
  
Jack resisted the urge to roll his eyes at the pair of them before he stood, turning only to stop short to find Pitch Black standing right behind him.


	6. Promises

Jack gave a compulsive swallow, fear clinging to his heart.  
  
His staff was by the girls, he left it there because it had a habit of attacking anyone who tried to harm his children and both Peter and Robin had nasty magic that wrecked havoc on any that tried to harm them in their sleep, ancient and bitter magic that made Jack feel sick to his stomach and thankful he hadn't eaten since gaining four children.  
  
Pitch Black, the Boogeyman, just stared him down, unmoving, until he tilted his head to the side slightly, as if Jack was a particularly interesting speck of dust.  
  
"Where did you find them?" Pitch asked and Jack felt as if his heart was going to pound straight out of his chest.  
  
But his eyes narrowed and he gathered up his courage, because he did not need, nor want, the Boogeyman haunting his children.  
  
Wasn't it enough that they were all hunted by worse things?  
  
"You won't be using them for your fear feast!" Jack hissed and Pitch actually took a step back.  
  
"Careful, they're shivering," Pitch stated and Jack glanced to the side, flinching when he saw Robin huddled in, wings stiffening and Jack yanked it all back in, keeping the wince in as it  _hurt_  and Pitch eyed him.  
  
"What do you want?" Jack asked.  
  
Pitch gave a shrug and looked at the sleeping boys before he turned back to go look at the girls.  
  
Jack's heart seized and Pitch stopped before he turned back to him. "I'm not going to hurt them," Pitch stated, but Jack didn't trust him.  
  
"Scare them, maybe, but not hurt them. I haven't been  _seen_  in quite a few centuries. And I've never been anything but feared. And she wasn't scared of me," Pitch stated and Jack just stared at him.  
  
He couldn't fight off Pitch, not on a moonless night without his staff.  
  
"They're shivering again," Pitch stated, and Jack moved to wrench his cold back when he realized it hadn't been curling out. Jack let out a vile curse he had overheard once and moved to walk past Pitch when he paused and turned to the taller, and older, and more powerful spirit. "You harm them, in any way, shape, or form, there will be no place you can hide, no place you can run, that I won't be able to find you and hunt you out from. And there will be no power in the universe that will stop me from hurting you in return ten fold, do you understand me?" Jack hissed, cold fury creeping through his body and out into the air.  
  
"You might want to get that cold front of yours under control before you start threatening me Frost," Pitch retorted.  
  
"It wasn't a threat. It was a promise," Jack responded and then moved past Pitch, deftly dodging the hand that tried to ensnare him, heading for the pile of blankets and coats he had left.  
  
When he turned back around, Pitch was gone.


	7. Attachment

The only thing keeping Jack in one place was the fact that he swore to himself that, one, he would never lie to his children. And two, he wouldn't uproot them beyond what the seasons dictated.  
  
The third thing he would try to do was give them as many experiences as possible that the other children enjoyed.  
  
Getting oranges from North's workshop for Christmas presents was not as difficult as one would think, once he had explained  _why_  to the head yeti, Phil. It was more of picking up the four oranges and thanking the yeti with some sort of weather that was needed or blocks of ice.  
  
Any egg hunts were made by Jack pissing off the Easter Bunny enough so he distracted the kangaroo and allowed the children to swarm out, finding as few eggs as possible before disappearing once more and allowing Jack to flit away, dragging the pursuit along until his four children were safely outside of the danger zone.  
  
They did not lose teeth, but watching the little fairies was a nice way to pass an evening and all of them found it funny how they swooned over Jack's teeth.  
  
The dream sand didn't always find them, but Jack couldn't do anything about that, because moving them closer to settlements meant putting them into the outside world, and Jack wouldn't do that.  
  
Jack kept these thoughts in the forefront of his mind as he found himself staring at where Pitch was, once again, talking with the Peter, Chantel, and Aerfen, while Robin watched from the sidelines, his wings twitching enough to show Jack that he was just as irritated as his 'mama.'  
  
"Pitch," Jack greeted, even as he carefully pulled the cloth satchel off over his head, the few morsels of food he was able to nab that were still good and whole inside, if a bit on the cold side.  
  
"Frost," Pitch returned and Jack immediately opened the bag, pulling out the half a sandwich.  
  
All four quickly went over to him, instead of making him go to them. He smiled a bit at that and quickly dolled out the food, trying to keep the space in his hands to them as short as possible.  
  
He managed well enough (years of practice helped) and then he carefully closed the satchel up, gently tossing it onto the severely depleted stack of blankets he had now. "Nothing for you Mama?" Robin asked.  
  
"Not today," Jack answered simply.  
  
Or any other day for that matter.  
  
Sometimes he ate a bite of food so he could change the answer to 'ate on the way over' or 'ate earlier', without feeling guilty.  
  
He never lied to his children.  
  
Not even the ones that couldn't see him, because yes, if the world, and the Man in the Moon, and every other spirit out there was going to ignore him and leave him purposeless beyond weather control, then he would just make himself a purpose.  
  
And he decided it was bringing fun and joy to children and protecting them to the best of his ability (though occasionally the fun was a bit more on the dangerous side, but really, what was life without a little danger? Besides, Jack was right there, even if he couldn't be seen).  
  
Pitch was watching him, again, and Jack ignored him as he twirled the staff lightly in his hand, keeping a careful rein on his powers, though they were not acting up right now.  
  
Ever since Jack's choice to put his children's needs and comforts so far above his own, his powers had been a bit...dodgy.  
  
Jack had a feeling it had to do with the fact that he no longer ate on an even semi-regular basis, but he would do nothing to change it.  
  
"Mama?" Aerfen called and Jack immediatly focused on her.  
  
"Yes Aerfen?" he responded.  
  
"Do you think we could go see the penguins today?" she asked.  
  
It never mattered that it was always night or that they were always huddled together.  
  
Aerfen loved the penguins and she wanted to see them every time. Jack hesitated and then nodded. "That should be fine. Head outside," he responded.  
  
"Can Pitch come too?" Aerfen asked.  
  
Jack wanted to flinch at the question, and he felt three pairs of eager eyes resting on him, even before he glanced at all his children.  
  
It seemed, in the span of two days, they had gotten rather attached to the Nightmare King.  
  
Lovely.  
  
"If he wishes to join us, he is welcome," Jack answered calmly and he was immediately besieged by three happy children all clinging to him tightly in a hug.  
  
He smiled as he gently hugged all three back, after some maneuvering, and then they turned their big wide eyes on Pitch.  
  
The Boogeyman was doomed. "Please Mr. Pitch?" they asked as one and Robin covered his mouth with one hand, easily stifling his laughter.  
  
Pitch looked as if he was about to turn them down when he caved and answered, "It would be an honor to accompany you and your 'mama' to the penguins."  
  
Jack didn't scowl at the slight inflection on the nickname, as if he was teasing Jack (it was not the cruelest taunt Jack had heard, and he doubted it ever would be), but Robin's good mood dissolving and he glared. "Robin, could you wait outside?" Jack called and Robin paused before he took off, zipping out of the cave.  
  
Chantel looked over at Jack, who smiled. "Robin doesn't like Pitch very much," he explained and Chantel nodded before holding her hand up to Peter, who took it and headed outside.  
  
Aerfen was not so accommodating. She immediately held her arms up to Pitch and said, "Carry me please."  
  
Pitch looked baffled briefly before he carefully lifted the girl up into his arms. Jack nodded a bit and then began to move everything to the back of the cave before he headed out.  
  
And then he froze it over until the cave disappeared from sight. There was ice and snow year around in this part of the world, in this mountain, and Jack used it to his advantage to hide a rather small network of caves for use as their home.  
  
 _He_  did not have access to a whole underground labyrinth, or a workshop that was built into the mountains itself, or even a realm of shadows that clung to some place in the in-between.  
  
 _He_  had to make do.  
  
And if he had to change geographical locations to do it, so be it.  
  
"Ready to see the penguins?" he asked, and knelt down, ignoring how it made him feel a little dizzy, so he could have Peter hop onto his back easier.  
  
Robin would carry Chantel, as Aerfen didn't seem to be wanting to leave Pitch's grasp.  
  
"Aye, aye, Mama!" Aerfen answered and Jack smiled a bit as he used his staff to stand upright, Peter clinging to his back.  
  
"Know the way Pitch?" Jack questioned and the man nodded before he disappeared into the shadows.  
  
Jack ignored the way his heart froze a bit and then took off, followed closely by Robin.  
  
Peter would later remark he never thought that the journey to the South Pole could be so  _fast._


	8. Orange Slices

It was almost Christmas and Jack was wondering if he was  _ever_  going to be rid of Pitch.  
  
Because Jack didn't know what to make of him.  
  
He told the children scary stories before bed and he always just  _loomed_  out of the shadows, but he never seemed to actually try to hurt or harm the children.  
  
Heck, even Robin liked him now, though it had taken half a decade for that to happen (Jack knew he was in his two-hundreds now; he knew because people were talking about how it was the 'war to end war' and giving dates) and Pitch had said something about it as well.  
  
And that was another thing.  
  
He  _always_  stared at Jack like he knew Jack's deepest, darkest, secrets (and Jack was starting to think that he  _did_ ). He always stared at Jack like he knew what Jack gave up for his children, and it showed when he brought things and would offer a fruit or some other thing to Jack.  
  
Jack always said 'no' (politely), because he was not going to accept food from Pitch, especially when he would freeze it solid within moments after a few bites, if that many.  
  
It would be a waste.  
  
But Pitch always tried until Robin, probably as fed up with it as Pitch, said, "It needs to be in slices so he doesn't freeze it solid within moments."  
  
Jack, who was directing some snowfall from a distance while the family (and Pitch) had a nighttime picnic behind him, turned to give Robin a look before he focused forward once more. "What  _are_  you doing?" Pitch questioned, at Jack's shoulder.  
  
Looming out of the damned shadows, again.  
  
Pitch was lucky Jack didn't just blast him, like he should have done that one night back when they first met. "I'm making a white Christmas," Jack answered softly and closed his eyes a bit as he thought about the boys heading to war.  
  
He knew someone would lie.  
  
Both Robin and Peter wanted to get involved and Jack had a feeling they would.  
  
Eventually.  
  
Jack twitched took a step back in surprise, tensing slightly when he walked right into Pitch, when the too sharp for him scent of an orange filled his nose and he opened his eyes to find Pitch holding an orange slice in front of his face.  
  
"You could have just said my name or got my attention," Jack stated.  
  
"I didn't want to distract you," Pitch said in a falsely innocent tone.  
  
"Ah, yes, because someone shoving an orange slice in front of my face is less distracting," Jack drawled sarcastically.  
  
"See? I was helping," Pitch stated and Jack turned to glare at him, ignoring how the children were snickering.  
  
Jack ignored their closeness (why did he have to ignore it? It wasn't like he  _liked_  Pitch or anything), ignoring how his cheeks were growing colder, and Pitch merely stared back down at him, his eyes wide with false innocence.  
  
Jack  _really_  wanted to punch him.  
  
However, he sighed and carefully to a step to the side and back. He eyed the orange slice and carefully took it. "Thank you," he answered, ignoring how the frost raced up the orange slice and he quickly ate it before turning back to the storm he was directing, at a distance.  
  
Luckily, it hadn't exploded or something, and Jack nearly sighed with relief.  
  
It was much harder then it looked, and it, like all of winter, reflected Jack Frost's moods.  
  
And the only reason he wasn't over  _there_  doing it was because the things  _not_  in Pitch's control, were becoming more active.  
  
It seemed they fed off war, and pain.  
  
And fear.  
  
Jack wasn't leaving his children alone with that happening.  
  
He also wasn't leaving any other children unguarded, and he closed his eyes once more to find his center when he jerked back, once again into Pitch's torso as he was assaulted with the smell of an orange.  
  
He twisted around to glare up at Pitch, who merely gave Jack a small smile in return.  
  
"Do you just keep waiting for me to close my eyes before you do that?" he hissed.  
  
"I have trouble getting the individual slice separated from the orange without destroying it completely. It was mere coincidence that it happened while your eyes were closed," Pitch answered.  
  
Jack was not sorry in the slightest when he blasted Pitch back with a touch of ice before he turned back to the storm.  
  
Besides, the children found it hilarious, if their laughter was any indication.


	9. Conspirators

"What am I doing wrong?" Pitch asked while the four children, his cohorts in his mission, watched him pace as they ate at his dining room table.  
  
It had taken layers of promises, oaths all but sworn in blood, and then saying  _please_ , of all things, to get Jack to allow Pitch to even invite the children (and Jack) into his realm (with all their things) for Christmas.  
  
The children had, of course, said yes, and now they were, for the first time in their living memories, in a place with solid walls and furniture, and they had explored the place excitedly while Jack looked on, trembling to do just what the children were doing, but stopping himself.  
  
And possibly trembling because they were so amazed by the simple things that most other children took for granted (before the war at least) and the feeling of failure.  
  
Maybe.  
  
Pitch wasn't sure.  
  
However, even after inviting them in, and giving them their own rooms (though they still insisted on doubling up and it had been like pulling teeth to get Jack to agree), it had taken more oaths and promises to have Jack leave them alone with Pitch while he went to go take care of things.  
  
Pitch didn't want to know what these 'things' were.  
  
"I have no clue. I had no idea Mama would be so oblivious," Aerfen answered.  
  
"Yeah. I mean, even  _I_  can tell you want to make Mama your Nightmare Queen," Peter stated and Chantel nodded cheerfully while Robin talked in a low voice to a Nightmare that had trotted out of the darkness.  
  
Pitch had long since accepted that Robin influenced the Nightmares far more easily then even Pitch, and, while Pitch was their King, there was something about Robin that made the Nightmares come to him, without the boy ever having to lift a call.  
  
Pitch gave Peter a look at his words, but the boy did not take it back.  
  
He never would, the brat.  
  
"Yes, well, there has to be something I am missing," Pitch stated and Robin's wings shifted downward a bit, before he carefully turned to Pitch.  
  
"You are missing the fact that Mama has the self-confidence of wet clothing pattern paper," Robin stated and the Nightmare let out a high-pitched, eerie, keen before she trotted back into the darkness.  
  
Robin walked forward as they stared up at him in confusion, while Pitch focused on Robin. "But...how is that possible? He knows he means the  _world_  to us!" Aerfen exclaimed and Robin raised an eyebrow at her.  
  
Unlike the others, over the years he had started getting older.  
  
He was growing up, but Pitch wasn't sure  _why_  it was only happening with him and not the others.  
  
Pitch could probably figure it out, but he instead focused on Robin as he flipped one of the chairs around so he could sit on it backwards, and stared down at the tea he had abandoned earlier, something none of the children did normally. "Does he?" Robin asked softly and looked over at them, before he turned his eyes lifted to Pitch.  
  
"Because I don't think he does," Robin answered softly and focused on the tea before he began to drink it, even though it was cold by now.  
  
Pitch turned his gaze to the ceiling hidden by shadows as the table fell silent.  
  
Well, that complicated things a bit.


	10. The Blood of Care

Jack barely was able to keep on course as he dropped into the Nightmare King's realm, cautiously.  
  
The Wind followed and when Jack landed, he slipped a little, wincing at the pull it caused on his various injuries. Blood was covering half his face, forcing one of his eyes closed, and he was exhausted.  
  
He moved to take a step forward, but was overcome with pain, blinding pain and he felt his staff leave his grasp, heard it clatter to the ground, shortly before he himself hit it, curling up slightly on the ground as the agony rushed through his bones.  
  
"Mama!" Aerfen shrieked and there she was, his fire bright girl, kneeling next to him, uncaring of the blood that was starting to soak into her dress.  
  
Miracle she was still so bright. Didn't he always put out fires?  
  
"Mama, I can't hear you. What did you say?" Aerfen called, leaning over, but Jack shook his head a bit, even if it made his eyeballs feel like they were going to explode.  
  
She looked around and suddenly her eyes alighted on something. "Get Robin you stupid beast!" she screamed and Jack couldn't stop the wince as something, hot, far too hot, sparked up and Aerfen let out a whisper of apology, and her hands were in his hair and then she was crying.  
  
Jack shushed her gently, even as he reached up, ignoring the pain that spread across his entire body with the movement and he ran his hand across her hair, twitching slightly when he saw the dark of his blood marring it, but she turned into it anyway.  
  
She hated getting dirty and she clung to his wrist and cried. Jack shushed her gently, murmuring that he would be okay, his thumb rubbing her cheek, leaving a smear, but she clung to him.  
  
"Mama!" Robin exclaimed and he was there, careful as he settled at Jack's back and leaning into Jack's field of vision.  
  
"What happened?" Robin asked.  
  
"Just some trouble," Jack answered softly.  
  
He had not expected them to come from behind was the trouble, and he had been caught unawares.  
  
He hadn't even expected them at  _all_  on Christmas Eve, the night North traveled the world.  
  
They rarely came out on the Guardians' holidays, because they were more likely to get caught and beaten back by those more powerful then Jack.  
  
Robin huffed and began to look Jack over for injuries.  
  
Jack just focused on calming Aerfen down, when Robin shifted. "I'll be right back Mama," Robin promised and stood up.  
  
And then he was gone.  
  
Jack just focused on Aerfen, his voice singing softly some old tune the Wind taught him the first night Aerfen couldn't sleep. He continued to rub his thumb along her cheek, and did his best to keep his breathing even and unpained when all he wanted to do was cry in agony, but Aerfen needed him to be calm and unshakable.  
  
So he would be.  
  
The shadows darkened briefly and Aerfen looked up as Pitch suddenly leaned into Jack's field of vision. "What have you been tangling with?" Pitch asked.  
  
Jack couldn't answer, but Pitch gently leaned over and grasped Aerfen's hand and, subsequently, Jack's wrist.  
  
"Aerfen, you need to let him go so I can move him somewhere comfortable and take care of him," Pitch stated and Jack struggled to keep his breathing even as panic began to grip his heart and Pitch shifted a bit.  
  
He probably sensed Jack's panic.  
  
Wonderful.  
  
Aerfen hesitated and then carefully released Jack's wrist, Pitch shifting his grip so she could and he carefully crossed Jack's arm over his chest.  
  
And then he was up and Jack gasped softly in pain, and he realized he was in Pitch's arms, being held as gently as the Nightmare King possibly could and he turned slightly. "Robin, please collect Jack's staff. I'm taking Jack to his room. After I clean him up and do what I can, then you four can come in and see him, all right?" Pitch stated.  
  
"Yes Pitch," Peter stated and Jack winced a bit.  
  
When had the others come?  
  
Oh, no, Chantel! Jack shifted his head slightly, but he was already within shadow and could not see.  
  
"Chantel," Jack breathed out, even as Pitch stepped into the room he was letting Jack borrow, the shadows doing something to the bed before Pitch settled Jack onto it.  
  
"She didn't see. They followed after me and I made sure you were too covered by shadow for them to see. Aerfen will have nightmares for awhile, but there is nothing I can do about that," Pitch answered gently and Jack felt his eyes slide closed against his will, though it was probably for the best as Pitch began to wipe a cold cloth down his face.  
  
"Thank you," Jack whispered and Pitch stilled a bit before he continued.  
  
"You're welcome," he answered, eventually, but Jack barely heard him as sleep claimed him.


	11. Lovelorn King

Pitch sighed a bit as he finished with the last bandage.  
  
Jack had been a mess, but not as bad as Pitch had feared. He would need rest (and in the middle of winter, that was unlikely) and food (also unlikely unless someone was around to make him eat...and in small increments to keep Jack from getting sick, if Pitch's belief that Jack hadn't eaten even semi-regularly for at least a century was correct, no matter how tempting just shoving food down Jack's throat was) before he was ready to return to his normal life.  
  
Pitch bared his teeth at the thought of Jack returning to destroying himself (though Pitch knew it wasn't that, it was never that, not with how devoted he was to his children, those he adopted and the human children that he played with and was walked through by), even as he finished carefully tugging a white dress shirt onto Jack's sleeping form.  
  
The other, along with the jacket, had been completely destroyed. The trousers were fine and Pitch knew replacing them without Jack blasting him with ice later was zip to none.  
  
And that was not a pleasant sensation.  
  
He paused, seeing where the bandages covered half of Jack's face and he reached out, carefully running his fingers through the hair that was, once again, white as the snow.  
  
Pitch let out a soft sigh and shook his head. "I'm an idiot," he whispered softly and carefully pulled a light sheet over Jack, the item already becoming covered in frost before he turned and opened the door to find four waiting children. "He'll be fine. Don't clamber on him or you'll possibly freeze," Pitch stated and stepped to the side.  
  
Aerfen rushed in with a soft gasp, and Pitch was glad to see that she had gotten cleaned up, and even gladder to see that she had taken his words to heart as she halted next to the sleeping Jack. "He's just asleep," Pitch reassured when he felt the fear rush through them and Robin ushered the last two in, still holding Jack's staff.  
  
Robin hesitated before he carefully set it against the wall and then settled down on a chair, sideways, Aerfen quickly clambering up into his lap.  
  
And with that, four children and a lovelorn King began their all night vigil over the sleeping winter bringer.


	12. Confrontation

Jack blinks a few times, noticing that he has bandages on his head, they cover half his face specifically and he begins to shift, ignoring the dizzy pull at the edges of his vision that make him close his eyes, and he's moving to sit up when there's a hand on his shoulder. "Don't. You lost a lot of blood," Pitch's voice cuts in and Jack opens his eyes to glare at Pitch, but winces when dizziness strikes him without warning, making him feel like he's on a boat.  
  
He then feels Pitch's hand cradle his head and neck before carefully lowering him back down. "Now, how did you get into this state?" Pitch questioned and Jack opened his eyes (when had he closed them?), having them flicker about.  
  
"They're asleep, and safe," Pitch stated and Jack felt the tension drain out of him.  
  
"How long was I out?" Jack asked and Pitch gave an irritated sigh, frowning briefly before he stared at Jack.  
  
"If I answer your questions will you answer mine  _honestly_?" Pitch asked.  
  
Jack pulled back slightly, eyes widening a bit, and Pitch just stared at him before Jack nodded.  
  
"Promise?" Pitch demanded.  
  
"I promise," Jack answered softly and Pitch nodded.  
  
"Just through the night. It is Christmas morning, supposedly. The sun has not yet risen over our part of the world," Pitch answered and Jack eyed him.  
  
"My satchel?"  
  
"The satchel, and the oranges, are safe. I would ask how you got four of North's oranges, but I am at odds if I would like the answer or not," Pitch stated.  
  
Jack nodded a bit and Pitch stared down at him. "How did you get injured?" Pitch asked.  
  
Jack frowned a bit and sighed. "I got snagged by a couple of those...dark things. The ones that come out on occasion," Jack explained and Pitch frowned.  
  
"Black, eyes of flame, seem to change shape every time you blink?" Pitch questioned.  
  
"More like an inky dark blue color to better blend into the darkness, but yes," Jack responded.  
  
Pitch frowned more at that. "How...how long have you run into these things?" he asked.  
  
"Since finding Aerfen. They always go after the children. Any children. I just...get in the way," Jack answered and he almost seemed to smirk in that self-deprecating way that always made Pitch's eyes darken.  
  
Pitch then let out a curse.  
  
A curse in what was probably a dead language.  
  
"What?" Jack asked.  
  
Pitch sighed and looked up at him. "They are the Shadow Hunters. Well, boiled down, they really aren't. They aren't mine to control before you get any ideas, but that is the name that gets used, if anyone remembers it. Which they don't. They belong _ed_  to the Fae, which are...basically dead. Well, not really, just...scattered and destroyed. There's only one púca left, for starters. The rest of the Fae were ripped down as their belief base destroyed them. Turned them from something to be feared and worshiped into something...not. It damaged them. So, by that logic, the Shadow Hunters shouldn't be here!" Pitch explained, even as Jack watched him drum his fingers on his bicep.  
  
Pitch sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "I'll have to search for something on that later. Since you found Aerfen you say?" Pitch continued.  
  
"Yeah. They started showing up right after I found her. Always go for her, and later the others. Hate Robin though. They actually screech at him and run away. That's why I place the crystals at their heads. Robin made them and, if they are light, they keep the creatures at bay," Jack explained.  
  
Pitch sighed, mulling over this puzzle.  
  
Jack can see the wheels turning and then Pitch looks at him.  
  
"When was the last time you ate?"  
  
The question throws Jack.  
  
"What?" he questioned.  
  
"When was the last time you ate an actual meal, or even a half one? Not a bite, not a few slices of an orange, not enough so you could tell your children honestly that you had something to eat on the way over. When was the last time you just relaxed and had an actual meal?" Pitch asked, eyes boring into Jack's.  
  
Jack let his eyes slide away from Pitch's and gave a shrug.  
  
"You don't know?" Pitch asked and Jack gave a jerky nod.  
  
Silence reigned before there was a long and loud sigh and Jack looked over to find Pitch looking like stone. His eyes were locked onto a point that wasn't Jack. "Let me guess; moonlight?" Pitch asked and Jack nodded a bit.  
  
"Of course. And what, pray tell, are you going to do after Christmas?" Pitch asked and Jack stared.  
  
"Leave. You invited us through Christmas," Jack answered.  
  
"And how do you hope to manage that when you are unable to move without having a severe dizzy spell due to blood loss?" Pitch returned and Jack felt his heart stop within his chest.  
  
Pitch stared at him and Jack looked away. "I have a staff for more than just power direction," Jack answered and Pitch snorted.  
  
"So, you'll lead your children to their very maws? Because with you this weakened state, you will never be able to fend them off again and no matter how much they hate Robin, they will not be able to resist collecting what they have so long sought. And here I thought you loved your children,” Pitch stated and Jack sat up without thinking, rage clawing out as his hand snapped out and grabbed onto Pitch with far more strength then Jack thought possible, but he held on, ignoring how the ice climbed up the Nightmare King’s arm, and how it  _hurt_ , but Jack didn’t care.  
  
“ _Never_  presume such a thing  _again_! I love my children more than anything, but where can we go that we’ll be safe? We’re here till Christmas, the invitation ends after Christmas,” Jack hissed out, his voice the cold of winter, the deadly sharp parts that caused deaths and shredded lungs and made people beg for mercy only to receive none.  
  
Pitch stared into his eyes answered, “Why do you think I will kick you out with these change of circumstances?”  
  
Jack started and that was enough to have him lose whatever will he managed. His eyes clenched in agony and there were a pair of arms, gentle and oddly familiar, and Jack realized there were Pitch’s.  
  
“Situations change, Jack. And I don’t want to lose the only children who see me anymore then you want to lose them,” Pitch stated, even as he eased Jack back onto the bed, the ice having already retreated back into Jack.  
  
“And you really shouldn’t have done that. You’ve probably reopened most of your wounds and now you’ll make them worry all over again,” Pitch added and Jack just let out a tired sigh.  
  
“You may stay for as long as you need to, Jack Frost. And by ‘need to’ I mean until such time as you are completely healed and actually able to take care of your children without falling out of the sky and splattering on the rocks. You can guide winter from here, you’ve been doing it all of this invitation, and I’ll take you to any spot that needs ‘special attention’ so no one even notices you missing. And the end, you’ll stop making me swear oaths in all but blood and promises before leaving me alone with your children. I think at this point I’ve proven I am not going to break them open to feast on their fears,” Pitch continued and Jack didn’t have the energy to glare.  
  
The minute he was able to stand on his own two feet and ride the Wind again, they were leaving.  
  
He did have a point however.  
  
Jack just couldn’t help his fears.  
  
Not of Pitch harming his children (no, Pitch was right, he had already proven that he wouldn’t).  
  
But of his children leaving him behind, forgetting him, when they could have all they ever wanted (a house with walls, regular meals that were as large as they wanted, toys not made of ice) and that it was all just a person away.  
  
That’s what Jack feared, more than anything.  
  
Pitch watched him, but Jack closed his eyes, suddenly very tired.  
  
There was very little Jack  _wouldn’t_  give up for his children.  
  
His freedom was something he would  _always_  give up for them, no matter how much it hurt (not physically, it just hurt  _something_  deep within him, even when he knew it was only for a short time).


	13. Christmas

Pitch watched Jack drink from the mug of soup Pitch had given him, while Jack himself was watching his three youngest children enjoy their Christmas oranges, the other presents ignored as they savored the present their mama always insured they got.  
  
He did not react as Robin appeared next to him, wings alternating between being practically at his ears to lying flat against his back, sure signs of annoyance.  
  
He also continued to ignore the boy as Robin’s glare worsened and Pitch waited.  
  
It was obvious that Robin was angry over something Pitch had done.  
  
Again.  
  
Of all the children, Robin was the one that spent half his time disliking Pitch and the other half listening to some of Pitch’s darker tales with the eagerness of a child.  
  
"Why are you such an  _idiot_  when it comes to Mama?" Robin asked, eventually breaking the silence.  
  
His voice is a low, sharp, thing and Pitch is sure that, were it a blade, he would have a cut across his cheek from the very words. "I don't know what you mean," Pitch answered simply, still watching Jack and the way his hair seemed to catch light that wasn’t even there.  
  
"I'll give you a hint; I wasn't asleep this morning," Robin retorted and Pitch bared his teeth in annoyance at that.  
  
"I'm sorry; can you think of any  _other_  way to insure that he would get the care he needs?" Pitch questioned and was met with only silence.  
  
"Your resounding silence tells me no, you can't," Pitch finished and Robin scowled at him, his wings tensing and fluttering while Jack laughed as Chantel and Aerfen clambered onto his lap.  
  
The laughter, so light and carefree, made Pitch relax.  
  
He nearly bared his teeth at his traitorous thoughts.  
  
He would never, in a thousand years, admit he had these thoughts.  
  
They were far too sweet for his tastes.  
  
“Shouldn’t you be sitting next to your mama and making sure he’s actually drinking that soup?” Pitch suddenly asked and Robin exhaled slightly before there was that sound of his wings twitching.  
  
And then he was across the room. “Mama, you haven’t finished your soup,” Robin stated as he landed in front of Jack and Pitch smiled a bit at his own cleverness.  
  
Yes, he had basically forced Jack to stay, but it was only for the time being.  
  
He knew if he acted too much out of character Jack would get scared and run.  
  
Besides, Pitch would rather know for certain that Jack liked (loved) him for who he was, not for some façade he put up to make Jack like him.  
  
Mostly because he  _hated_  making Jack do anything.  
  
Even if it was to insure that the addle brained snowflake healed.  
  
Pitch let out a low sigh and began to drum his fingers against his arm while he pondered this new angle in his life.


	14. Broken (real world situational trauma; Holocaust, WWII)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Jack breaks down over when he sees during this time. Because it was a horrible, horrendous, part of human history and I'm not going to skip it.

Pitch watched as Jack quietly shut the door to the girls' room.  
  
The war to end war and come and gone and in its wake, something worse had risen out of the ashes.  
  
Pitch still remembers Jack's face when he had come to Pitch, holding onto Pitch in desperation and promising anything and everything Jack had to offer if Pitch would take them into his realm until this new horror was stopped.  
  
The tears had turned to fine ice drops that landed like broken glass at Jack's feet and Pitch would have agreed to anything if it healed Jack's heart, but there was nothing Pitch could do.  
  
Pitch couldn't make this all better, he couldn't save the children Jack wept over.  
  
But Jack wouldn't talk about what he had seen that left his usually cheerful eyes haunted and gripping his children so tightly that he nearly harmed them.  
  
Peter more so then the others, clinging tightly to them, terrified that they would turn to ash into his arms.  
  
Pitch knows why, because the fear that has come with this age, fear of the Nazis, and whatever horrors they are cooking up, of children and adults...  
  
Pitch hates this fear. It makes him feel sick and his herd of Nightmares has grown greatly in this time, but the ones that had joined were sickly and would collapse in on themselves within a few days.  
  
But more came then collapsed and Pitch could only feel the world shred itself apart.  
  
"Jack," Pitch called softly, but Jack didn't look away from where he was staring at the door.  
  
"You can leave the door open," Pitch offered, but Jack shook his head.  
  
A few seconds later, Pitch leaned forward and carefully pushed open the door so it was open a crack.  
  
Jack's fear plummeted with the action.  
  
"They're safe here. I promise. Not even the Nightmares can get to them," Pitch stated and Jack took a shaky breath before he nodded a bit.  
  
But still he didn't move.  
  
Pitch hesitated before he carefully placed a hand on Jack's shoulder. When it was not shrugged off, he shifted so he had a guiding arm around Jack's shoulders and his hand slipped down to Jack's upper arm.  
  
And as much as he hated to, he carefully led Jack away from the door.  
  
Jack went willingly, which eased Pitch's panic, but at the same time he knew that Jack was waiting for Pitch to extract his price and Pitch really wouldn't.  
  
Not this time.  
  
Because Jack's face was burned into his memory, the pain and desperation, the hollow fear under it all, it remained crystal clear in Pitch's memory and he hated the fact that every time he blinked, that was the image of Jack that seared itself across his eyelids.  
  
He carefully had Jack sit down on the couch. However, as he moved to leave, Jack's hand snapped out and clung to Pitch's wrist.  
  
"Please," Jack asked and Pitch stared at him.  
  
"Please what, Jack?" Pitch asked.  
  
"Please stay," Jack answered and Pitch sat down next to him.  
  
Jack didn't let go of his wrist and Pitch didn't try to remove it.  
  
He had a feeling, deep within him, that everything was about to change.  
  
And then Jack began to talk.  
  
He talked about the ghettos and how he tried, he tried so hard, to help, but all he could do was hurt if he stayed too long and he could not stop winter from making its way through there. He could not help the children who cried, and the adults who prayed.  
  
He talked about the man, the one armed man, who was shot for having one arm, and how the people were treated far worse then anything Jack had seen. How he had shouted at the two guards and how he wished that he could at least touch them so he could freeze them to their very marrow, but that would make him no better then them.  
  
And then he talked about the screaming, and the begging, and the cries for their children. He talked about the agonized cries and the ash that billowed up into the sky and the lack of compassion.  
  
He talked about the lies that spilled out of the guards' mouths and the death screams following as they were either drenched in acid or gassed to death.  
  
And he talked about the graves that were filled with bodies too thin and too small.  
  
He talked about the way the eyes were sunken and the horrors that made Jack stutter, his only show of emotion as he talked, sometimes falling silent when he could not voice what he had seen, or heard.  
  
He talked about how useless and helpless he felt, standing by and watching and unable to do  _anything_  as these children had their childhood stolen, in one manner or another.  
  
His voice was dead and his eyes were looking far beyond the shadows.  
  
Pitch did not think that Jack was telling him everything.  
  
He did not think Jack  _could_.  
  
"Why?" Jack asked suddenly and Pitch stared at him as Jack suddenly looked at Pitch, eyes focusing on him far too clearly.  
  
"Why?" Jack asked, his voice shaking and he curled over, sobbing.  
  
Each sob seemed torn out of his chest. "They're  _children_! They're  _innocent_! They, and their parents, have done  _nothing_  wrong! Why? Why are people doing this? Why?" Jack sobbed out, each word ripped out and shattering in the air and Pitch just pulled him close, clinging tightly to Jack as Jack released his wrist to wrap his arms around Pitch's waist and then curling up into Pitch's embrace.  
  
Each sob was punched out with questions of why.  
  
And all Pitch could say was, "I don't know."  
  
It was the only lie Pitch ever told Jack.  
  
And he would tell it every time Jack asked, with eyes so broken, and he did so without fear of what Jack would do if (when) he ever learned the truth.  
  
It would be almost five years after World War II ended, after the bombs had been dropped, before Jack laughed again.  
  
It would be shortly after that first laugh since breaking during the Holocaust that Jack stopped asking 'why.'  
  
But even if he asked again, Pitch would answer with his lie of  _I don't know._


	15. Easter 1968

Jack laughed brightly as he skimmed over the ground, carefully icing it all up, laying down the foundation of frost.  
  
It was the Friday before Easter, 1968.  
  
And he was going to play a great prank on the Easter Bunny.  
  
Robin had found it highly amusing; Aerfen had grinned and rubbed her hands excitedly, while Peter had wanted to know how they would get eggs.  
  
Chantel had wanted to help.  
  
Pitch (who they had all moved in with after World War II and Jack still isn't sure how to feel about that, even though it makes his face freeze and his heart race and being near Pitch is like suddenly forgetting how to breathe, and almost like drowning, but not frightening in a bad way, but in an oddly good way, and Jack has to stop thinking about this or he'll  _never_  be able to get this done in time) had wondered how he had fallen in with such a band of honorless rogues before suggesting starting in the darkest part of the night, so that it would be a surprise for all, including the Kangaroo.  
  
Jack loved the fact that Pitch called the Bunny by the nickname Jack had coined for the giant rabbit.  
  
He continued to skip and skim, grinning over his great prank.  
  
He would wait for the darkest part of the night, before the dawn, and unleash the snow storm upon the world.  
  
After Peter snatched up eggs as they toddled into place, along with the rest of the children.  
  
And Jack was  _not_  ruining Easter, despite what Pitch implied.  
  
The eggs would ‘miraculously’ be up near the top of the snow when all was said and done.  
  
Jack may or may not have been practicing to do that and, since Pitch refused to let him go an entire day on just a piece of toast smeared with cream cheese, Jack had found he had a much finer control over his powers than ever before.  
  
Yes, he needed the staff. Even Pitch said that, while Jack could wield his power without it, it would probably be a  _ **bad idea**_  if he tried.  
  
Jack did anyway, but it was in the North Pole and it had made North have to charm a reindeer’s nose to glow red so he could get through the snowstorm.  
  
Not his fault, but Pitch had just covered his face in exasperation (Peter insisted that it was to hid his laughter), and asked Jack if he had snowflakes for brains.  
  
Jack had merely shrugged and then focused on his children to hear them talk about the red-nosed reindeer.  
  
But for now, Jack was enjoying creating spurs of frost and curls of it around. He heard gasps of amazement from within the houses, and breathless amazement. He heard giggles and cries of a late snow.  
  
He also heard the parents sigh and peek out in hopes of it being their imagination and Jack cackled a bit.  
  
He did not do this for the parents, but for the children.  
  
Snow days  _were_  his specialty, after all, and the children had not had many yet.  
  
Well, Jack would be changing that up.  
  
He heard them chatter excitedly and whisper about the eggs and how it would be a  _challenge_  and that made Jack smile a bit more.  
  
Children always did love a good challenge.  
  
His own had proved that.  
  
Heck, maybe Bunny would thank him after this.  
  
The thought had Jack laughing to the point of practically crashing into the ground.  
  
The Wind scolded him, even as he apologized to his ancient friend and managed to calm his near-hysteria level laughter.  
  
The day the Easter Kangaroo thanked Jack Frost was the day that the world almost ended and would have, were it not for Jack Frost.  
  
And even then, he probably still wouldn’t.  
  
Jack grinned before he flipped through the air.  
  
He had plants and rocks to decorate, as well as a lake to visit.  
  
He missed his old home.  


* * *

“ _ **Frost!**_ ” Bunnymund shouted and Jack grinned down at the top of Bunny’s ears.  
  
“You called?” Jack stated as he drifted down, as light as a snowflake.  
  
The world was thick with ice and snow and still the snow fell, though much lighter than before.  
  
The children had, during a break in the weather, gone egg hunting and found the eggs in difficult places, but not so difficult that they couldn’t find anything.  
  
The Bunny would only lose a handful of believers, if that.  
  
In comparison to the  _millions_  (and no, Jack wasn’t bitter about it, not at all) of believers, and the fact he lost a handful every year anyway, Jack didn’t think the Kangaroo would be too mad.  
  
Of course, after the egg hunt they had run out to play in the snow, forgetting about the eggs that they had hunted out and spent a couple of  _hours_  searching for, sometimes with a nudge here or there so the eggs would be found.  
  
“What have you done?” Bunny asked, ears twitching as they stood straight up.  
  
“Snow. What I do, in case you haven’t noticed,” Jack answered with a grin.  
  
Bunny let out a snarl and some cuss words that Jack was sure Robin would gleefully use the next time he was irritated with someone (Pitch). “Yes, I noticed. But  _why_  this much and  _why_  today?” Bunny demanded.  
  
Jack shrugged a bit. “It was due,” he answered cheerfully.  
  
Technically, he just needed to create a blizzard somewhere.  
  
He could have done it just as easily where it  _wouldn’t_  have interfered with Easter Sunday but…where was the fun in that?  
  
“Due?  _Due_? This is  _Spring_!” the Kangaroo stated and Jack raised a one eyebrow at him.  
  
“Snow happens in spring,” Jack answered innocently.  
  
He barely had time to duck when he had an egg thrown at him and he was flitting off with a cackle.  
  
Soon, he had the Easter Bunny chasing after him.  
  
It probably would have gone on for longer, had Jack not darted through a shadow and found himself back in Pitch’s realm.  
“When you said you were going to play a prank, I did not think you meant to antagonize Bunnymund to the point of near homicide,” Pitch stated.  
  
“Oh, Pitch, where’s your sense of fun?” Jack asked as he flitted over to where Pitch was standing, easily getting into the older spirit’s space.  
  
Pitch stared down at him, unimpressed, and Jack merely smiled, despite the fact his face was freezing and he felt like flying away again. “I believe I lost it somewhere between you actually  _answering_  the púca’s call, and then leading him on a merry chase while he threw his exploding eggs at you,” Pitch returned and Jack smiled a bit.  
  
“Aww, Pitch, you do care,” Jack answered.  
  
Pitch was about to respond when Chantel suddenly asked, “Does this mean you are going to be the Nightmare Queen to his Nightmare King now Mama? “  
  
Jack jerked back in surprise, flying up and Pitch turned to glare at the girl, who was munching cheerfully on her chocolate egg. “Chantel, wherever did you…where did you hear that?” Jack asked, landing next to the girl.  
  
“Peter said…” she began, only for Pitch to go, “ _Peter_  needs to learn when to keep silent.”  
  
Jack shot him an irritated glare when Pitch interrupted, but the elder spirit remained unaffected.  
  
Just as well.  
  
Jack might have panicked a little if he  _had_  been affected.  
  
“Peter said what Chantel?” Jack asked and Chantel merely blinked innocently up at Jack before pressing a chocolate smeared kiss on his cheek and running off.  
  
Jack sighed a bit as he stood. He moved to wipe the chocolate kiss off with his thumb when Pitch was there. Jack felt his face freeze, Pitch suddenly there and he didn’t move as Pitch gently rubbed the chocolate off. “I see why you never gave them candy now,” he stated and Jack can’t help it.  
  
He laughs.  
  
He doesn’t know why, but through it, he can see Pitch smiling a real smile.  
  
Jack isn’t sure what to do with that knowledge.


	16. Hope

Pitch watched Jack as he carefully tucked Robin into bed, cautiously arranging the blankets around so that they wouldn't put pressure on his wings, smiling as he easily dodged Robin's wing flick of contentment before he sagged completely into the blankets, eyes already closed. "He was busy today," Pitch stated as Jack walked over to him, a smile on his face that seemed a bit...different then the one he had bestowed on the sleeping Robin.  
  
Jack was no longer surprised when he would turn around to find Pitch just there.  
  
"Yes, he was. You're very good with him," Jack answered as he quietly shut the door, not even twitching when the door faded into shadows, leaving them alone in an 'endless' hallway.  
  
Pitch gave a snort. "Only when he's my student. Otherwise, he is a pain and refuses to listen to anyone but you and, sometimes, not even you," Pitch answered and Jack laughed softly at that, in that way that Pitch had come to love.  
  
"Admittedly, I was worried that I wouldn't be able to, but it seems he can use them. But not...he's not one with them," Pitch answered and he managed not to flinch when he felt a soft thrum of fear shift in Jack's being.  
  
It was old and it was new at the same time.  
  
 _I'm scared..._  it whispered to Pitch, and he always listened to other's fears, especially Jack's, in a hope of removing those fears from Jack's life (Pitch found it ironic, really).  
  
"Of course not. That's your domain, oh King of Fear," Jack answered cheerfully, already shifting to head to his room when Pitch reached out and caught his arm, gently.  
  
Jack immediately stopped and turned to face him, eyes searching.  
  
"Jack...why are you so scared that we'll be leave you alone?" Pitch asked.  
  
The fear that stabbed through Jack was frightening. "How..." Jack began, but Pitch gently tugged on his arm, the bare footed Snowflake moving with the tug, eyes wide.  
  
"I always know, Jack. I just don't know why," Pitch answered softly and Jack looked away from him.  
  
There was silence that stretched and rang in the shadows, in the endless hallway of Pitch's creation. "What can I give them, Pitch?" he asked softly, before he stared up at Pitch, blue eyes so sad.  
  
Pitch heard the whispers of fear, always there.  
  
Pitch gently shifted Jack so that they were facing each other before he lifted a hand to gently cradle Jack's face, his fingers resting on the tip of Jack's left ear. He felt the coolness of Jack's skin and how Jack was trembling lightly.  
  
"Yourself, Jack. They love you for you, they'll  _always_  choose you. A place with four walls and rooms of their own...they'd trade it all in a heartbeat if you ever decided to leave here," Pitch answered, his thumb rubbing lightly along Jack's cheek, secretly reveling over the fact Jack wasn't flinching away.  
  
He was leaning into it actually.  
  
The self-deprecating laugh cuts Pitch's heart deeply.  
  
"I'm a useless mess of weather. I'm nothing but a screw-up," Jack answered and Pitch leaned over slightly, instinctively trying to shield Jack from his own words.  
  
"And who could ever want that?" Jack asked softly.  
  
"I do," Pitch answered before he could stop himself.  
  
Terror thrummed through his heart as Jack jerked back in surprise, but he let him go, because Jack never did well when cornered.  
  
"What?" Jack asked, even as ice began to creep out from his feet, standing only a foot from Pitch.  
  
"I do," Pitch repeated.  
  
Jack stared at him, confusion obvious and Pitch stepped closer, gently reaching up to cradle Jack's face again. His thumb ran along Jack's cheek again, and he said, "If I asked, at any time, I'm sure that you would stay here, in the dark, and never leave. But...that's not you. You stay here, for a time, and then you flit out into the world. You drift like a snowflake on the wind and bring snow and laughter where you go. And that's who I want. That's the person, that wonderful person, that I want."  
  
Jack stared at him, eyes wide and then he leaned up, hesitant and unsure.  
  
Pitch met him half way, his hand slipping into Jack's soft hair as he gently pulled Jack into a kiss.  
  
He was cold, which Pitch was expecting.  
  
His lips were slightly chapped and dried out slightly, something that Pitch found oddly fascinating. He held onto Pitch's shoulders as if he were drowning and Pitch was the only thing keeping him up. Pitch felt his hand slip to rest gently against Jack's neck and felt the way the ice began to climb across his feet.  
  
They pulled back and Pitch smiled gently down at Jack.  
  
Jack blinked up at him a bit before he suddenly lunged upward.  
  
Their teeth clicked as they met for a second kiss, but Pitch didn't care.  
  
Jack was kissing him and it filled Pitch with a trembling feeling he had not felt in a long time.  
  
Hope.


	17. Spit-Take

Peter grinned as he watched his Mama and Pitch move around each other as easily as if they had been doing it for years.  
  
They had, technically, but there was a difference today where, instead of keeping about two inches of clearance between them, they kept brushing past each other. He was stirring his oatmeal as he watched, knowing that Chantel, with her milk, was also watching, though far less obviously then he, while Aerfen leaned on her head, half asleep still and Robin remained in bed.  
  
Still, Peter watched as Pitch gently placed his hands on Mama's waist and Mama swatted at his arm before he twisted away, earning a smile from Pitch. It sort-of disappeared when Mama pointed to them and he turned to find Peter watching them.  
  
He gave Peter a look before he nodded at Mama before he slipped into the shadows to reappear next to the table.  
  
Peter smiled up at him innocently and Pitch merely dumped some honey into the oatmeal. "Hey!" Peter protested.  
  
"You need all the sweetness you can get," Pitch stated as he sat, only to have Mama return the favor.  
  
When Pitch glared at him, Mama merely smiled and bat his eyelashes at him. "I just thought you needed a little sweetening this morning, my King," Mama answered as he sat down, focused on his soup within moments.  
  
Peter bid his time, waiting for Pitch to be sipping tea while Mama had nothing when he asked, "So...does this mean that Mama is your Nightmare Queen now Mr. Pitch?"  
  
The spit-take was well worth the wait, along with the choking and half the table freezing as Mama jerked in surprise.  
  
Aerfen jerked up in shock while Chantel giggled.  
  
"Peter!" Mama exclaimed while Pitch merely cleared his throat before he answered, "Yes."  
  
Mama's face paled at the cheeks and Peter grinned. "Awesome," Peter answered, which made Mama pale further.  
  
Chantel smiled brightly and reached over to pat Pitch's arm. "Papa," she responded and Peter began to cackle as Pitch dropped his spoon back into his oatmeal.  
  
Aerfen just kept blinking before she went back to slumping over her oatmeal with strawberry slices on it. "Tell me later when I'm awake," she mumbled.  
  
Peter just continued to cackle.


	18. Birthday

Jack laughed a bit as Peter and Aerfen tugged him on his one free hand, blindfolded, through Pitch's realm. "Aerfen, Peter, where are you taking me?" he asked.  
  
"You'll see," Aerfen answered while Peter laughed.  
  
"Yep! And we promise, it isn't anything bad," Peter stated.  
  
"Like the Nightmare incident?" Jack questioned and Aerfen's nervous laugh cut through the air.  
  
Pitch hadn't know whether to be mad or impressed that Aerfen, Chantel, and Peter had all managed to get a Nightmare hooked up to a carriage, that Pitch hadn't even known he  _had_  to pull Jack and Pitch on their first date.  
  
"Not like the Nightmare incident, at all," Peter answered and Jack laughed softly, before he felt himself being maneuvered into a chair.  
  
"Hey Mama," Robin greeted and Jack turned his head to him.  
  
"Robin. Want to tell me what this is about?" Jack asked.  
  
"Nope," Robin answered and Chantel settled in his lap.  
  
"Will you let me put your staff to the side?" Robin asked and Jack nodded a bit, easily releasing his staff into Robin's care.  
  
"All right, close your eyes," Robin stated and Jack obeyed with a smile, more amused by this then worried.  
  
"They're closed," Jack promised and he felt the blindfold tighten briefly before it was off.  
  
"Okay, open them," Aerfen stated and Jack did with a few blinks to find that he was staring at a cake with candles on it right in front of him.  
  
"Happy Birthday Mama!" the children chorused and Jack smiled at them.  
  
The cake was eaten and the children settled in bed before Jack settled on the sofa, wearing the blue hoodie his children had gotten him before Pitch appeared, settling next to him. "You missed the cake," Jack stated and Pitch gave a soft snort.  
  
"I despise sugar," Pitch answered.  
  
Jack smiled and shifted so he was close to Pitch, but not cuddling.  
  
The imposing Nightmare King did not cuddle where anyone could stumble upon them.  
  
So Jack was surprised when Pitch's arm came across his shoulders. He looked up at Pitch in surprise before he shifted and rested his head on Pitch's shoulder.  
  
When he wasn't shrugged off, he closed his eyes and relaxed into Pitch's side.  
  
Soon, Pitch's hand was carding through his hair.  
  
Jack didn't remember when he fell asleep, but when he woke up, he was curled up with Pitch in bed, and he was wearing a necklace that seemed to be made of shadow and metal, a frosted over pendant resting in the middle of his sternum.  
  
He never took it off, even if he didn't wear it out in the open.


	19. Always

Pitch's arm tightened briefly on Jack's shoulders as Jack began to stir from sleep, burrowing his head briefly into Pitch's shoulder before he began to get up, grumbling lowly when Pitch tightened his grip, again, on Jack's shoulders, causing Jack to fall onto his chest, the black pendant Pitch had given him for his birthday trapped between them.  
  
Jack shifted a bit to glare up into the wide-awake, golden-steel eyes of his Nightmare King and sighed. "You know...Russia is in need of a cold front," Jack stated and Pitch tightened his arm around Jack's shoulder, pining Jack to him, and Jack groaned before he suddenly got a wicked smirk on his face.  
  
Pitch leaned back slightly at the look, knowing that it meant Jack was going to do something that was going to be very distracting. "Frost," he warned, but the rest of his sentence was swallowed with the possessive, biting, kiss Jack bestowed on him.  
  
Pitch immediately buried his hands in Jack's hair, shifting back slightly from the onslaught, even as Jack leaned forward, continuing the nips at Pitch's bottom lip, continuing the assault, and pillows falling off the bed, as Jack continued to chase him.  
  
He then grinned into the kiss and backed off suddenly.  
  
Pitch looked momentarily confused before he let out an undignified sound and began to slide off the bed, Jack easily evading his attempts to take Jack with him as he sprawled across the ground and pillows that had fallen off first.  
  
"Cold front. Russia," Jack answered and hopped off the bed while Pitch let out a huff, getting up.  
  
"How do...I thought you were finished! It is Spring! It is three days to Easter," Pitch stated as he brushed himself off.  
  
"That doesn't mean snow suddenly  _stops_  Pitch. You know I'm all about snowballs and fun times. I just go where my instincts call for. And I am itching to start a cold front in Russia. And maybe try to scare up a few believers," Jack answered as he pulled on his blue hoodie, smiling at the way the frost began to dance across the shoulders, his bare feet creating a frost trail.  
  
He looked over to find Pitch smiling at him, most likely for the word choice, but...  
  
Jack frowned a bit. "What's wrong?" he asked and Pitch was suddenly there, gently resting a hand on Jack's cheek.  
  
Jack smiled up at him and Pitch leaned forward, pressing his forehead to Jack's. "You'll get believers, Jack. I promise," Pitch answered and Jack gently held onto Pitch's hand, leaning into it slightly.  
  
"I know. You got some," Jack answered, leaning up and Pitch met him half way, kissing him gently.  
  
"Yes, well, that's the Fae's doing, not mine," Pitch added as they parted and Jack gave a tiny shudder.  
  
They had been getting more active in recent years, the Hunters even sniffing right up to the entrance to Pitch's lair.  
  
They didn't stay long.  
  
Pitch sighed and stared into the shadows.  
  
"Hey," Jack whispered and Pitch looked back down at him.  
  
Jack leaned up and pressed a kiss to Pitch's jawbone. "I'll be  _fine_ , Pitch. Promise," Jack answered Pitch sighed, even as he pressed his hand to the pendant now hidden by the hoodie.  
  
“Be safe?” Pitch asked.  
  
“Always,” Jack answered smiling into the kiss Pitch gave him.


	20. Tea

Jack sighed as he walked along the power lines, tapping them with his staff as he went. He glanced up at the full moon and gave another sigh. "You know, if I am doing something wrong, I'd appreciate it if you tell me. Because this whole, not talking to me thing? This is like when I don't tell my own kids something, or when I don't talk to Pitch or visa-versa. And you're their grandfather, by the way. Just want you to know that. And I'm blaming Peter's stubbornness on you because you're utter rock-headedness over not talking to me is ridiculous. Closed communication lines do not for a good relationship make. I should know. Because, every time Pitch clams up, or I clam up, we get into an argument and then things blow out of proportion and I have to go visit Phil to cool down and Pitch has to go snarl and taunt the Guardians and, really, that is not healthy. Luckily, we've stopped doing that...mostly," Jack ranted, keeping light hearted before he came to a stop, twirling his staff lightly in his hand.  
  
He was standing on a roof instead of going home.  
  
He  _should_  be going home. Pitch was going to get worried, and Chantel would want a bedtime story. Aerfen will want to play and Peter will want snowballs to aim at and Robin will want to show Jack what he learned.  
  
Oh, and "Jack's" Frostmares (Nightmares that had somehow gained frost markings and were very attached to him, to the point of an over-protectiveness that would put  _Pitch_  to shame and it was Chantel who named them, Jack would swear to it on his children’s lives) would start scouring for him if he didn't head back soon, scaring children and then smacking him with their tails to show their displeasure.  
  
But such a bright moon was rare and he sighed, staring up at the moon from under his hood, and sighed. "I just want to know what I'm doing wrong. Just...could you tell me. Please?" he asked.  
  
There was no answer.  
  
Then again, there never was.  
  
"Of course not," he muttered and continued to stare down at the shadows when a gold light began to fill the area.  
  
He looked up with a smile at the golden streams and let his fingers trail along the golden stream, laughing as he got a dolphin, spinning around as it ‘swam’ around him.  
  
He watched the golden streams pull up and sighed.  
  
Time to head home.  
  
As he prepared to head home, there was a rustle in the trees as something dark blazed by.  
  
Jack immediately shifted his stance and followed, moving quickly.  
  
He didn’t like fast dark blurs. They reminded him of the Hunters that stalked the night and he did  _not_  want them anywhere near this town and the children within.  
  
He may not be a Guardian, but he would  _not_  allow those things to snatch any children while he was around.  
  
Jack did not think beyond that. He did not think beyond protecting the children of Burgess (okay, yes, he should have watched out for the couch…and not taken Jamie through the street, but he was right there and it was all in good fun) from the dark blur. He did not think about how, the last time he faced the Hunters, one had nearly taken his arm off.  
  
He still bore the scars from it.  
  
But still he continued to rush from point to point, landing in a defensive position in an alleyway, staff at the ready. “Well, well, Jack Frost,” a voice greeted, Australian accent thick and Jack smiled, immediately relaxing.  
  
“Bunny! Little bit early for you to be hopping about, isn’t it?” Jack asked.  
  
“Yeah, but I’m here to talk to you,” Bunny stated as he stepped into the light.  
  
Yep, that’s Bunny. “You’re not still mad about ’68 are you?”  
  
Oh, that was a good year. Jack liked that year. Pitch mad at him later or not, that was a fun year. “Yes. But this isn’t about that,” Bunny answered.  
  
Before Jack had a chance to take off, he was grabbed by a yeti and thrown into a sack, shouting protests as he went. And then he was thrown and…  
 

* * *

 

Within the realm of the Nightmare King, Nightmares marked with frost let out screaming, wailing, cry as Pitch Black dropped his tea cup, having it shatter on the shadowy floor, the liquid pooling like blood at Pitch’s feet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have a lot of scenes that just didn't end up in this.
> 
> Mostly because I skipped a few years quite a few times.
> 
> So, I will be making this into a series and I will have one part be 'Deleted Scenes of The Growing Family'. I will also, _after this is **done**_ take requests for what people would like to see during that time.
> 
> So long as it isn't smut.
> 
> I do not write smut.
> 
> I will write kissing, but I will not write smut.
> 
> But cutsie things, or sweet things, or family things.
> 
> Or how Jack got the Frostmares. (Actually, that's already planned. I actually love that story.)


	21. Hugs

Jack winces as the pain stabs through his head.  
  
Not being invited in  _hurts_ , damn it! Stupid expression! He was going to seriously consider hurting the next person who said, ‘Close the door, you don’t want to let Jack Frost in.’  
  
He blinked a bit when he saw that there were a pair of elves peering in at him and he blinked in surprise before he began to peek out. “Wow,” he breathed, eyes searching.  
  
He was suddenly grabbed, which did nothing for his headache and he was lifted out of the sack and onto the floor. He shooed away the yetis and picked up his staff with a soft sigh, before he looked around the workshop. North’s workshop.  
  
“Welcome, Jack Frost, to the North Pole! I hope the yetis treated you well,” North boomed, causing a spike of pain to lace through his head and made him blink a few times.  
  
“Thanks. Always did love being tossed into a sack and thrown through a magic portal,” Jack retorted sarcastically.  
  
“Great! That was my idea!” North exclaimed and Jack reigned in his temper, and his sarcasm, and instead gave a small smile.  
  
He had always wanted to explore here, but with the kids, he never had a chance to break in and he looked around in amazement when a Technicolor, human sized,  _hummingbird_  suddenly flew up to his face. “Oh, you’re teeth really  _are_  as white as the new fallen snow!” she exclaimed.  
  
Jack immediately jerked back and wondered if Pitch would murder him or the buzzing hummingbird. “Uh…thanks,” he responded, turning away, to find a bunch of little fairies staring at him.  
  
He gave them a smile, because they were adorable, and children. He is a bit surprised when one of them does a little sighing faint and he catches her automatically, his hand snapping out before he can stop himself.  
  
She lets out a little sneeze and flutters up, highly embarrassed as the Tooth Fairy (he has a headache; sue him for not recognizing her immediately) begins to scold the baby tooth fairies when his eyes fall on Sandy.  
  
He is beyond relieved and immediately kneels down in front of the Dreamweaver. “What’s going on Sandy?” he asked.  
  
Immediately the dream sand images flash and flutter and Jack, his head pounding, waves a hand. “Not helping little man, but thanks,” he answered and was about to stand when Sandy catches his arm.  
  
Jack focuses on him, settling back down, and Sandy makes an image of a bird, a flame, a musical note, and a heart above his head. “Oh, they’re fine, thanks for asking,” he answered.  
  
Sandy does an image of a dagger next and Jack nods, regretting it. “Yeah, you’re right,” Jack answered.  
  
The dagger was ‘worry’ or ‘worried’. He and Sandy figured that out because it was something that was a bit like a short cut in talking with each other.  
  
A snowflake appeared shortly after, followed by a question mark and then Sandy tapped his forehead. “Yeah, peachy-keen,” Jack muttered sarcastically and Sandy gave an apologetic smile, Jack waving him off before he stood, slowly.  
  
“So, anyone want to tell me why I am here?” he asked, even as his eyes ached to dart around (or just ached in general because, oh, wow, this headache was bad).  
  
“Wondering the same thing,” Bunny stated from beside the fire and Jack gave a slight glare.  
  
“Because you were chosen!” North exclaimed and that booming voice  _really_  didn’t help.  
  
At all.  
  
Jack resisted the urge to rub his temples.  
  
He really wanted to go home now and have Pitch rub his temples while hiding in the dark. “Chosen for  _what_?” Jack questioned.  
  
“To become Guardian!” North shouted.  
  
“ _You_  picked  _me_?” Jack asked.  
  
“No, we didn’t,” Bunny snapped.  
  
“Man in Moon did!” North explained and Jack started back.  
  
"He talks to you?" Jack asked, but he never got his answer as the room suddenly darkened causing all but Sandy and Jack to get into a battle position.  
  
Jack just let out a quiet groan, covering his face.  
  
If Pitch was about to be dramatic, Jack was going to...  
  
“Mama!” a voice, Chantel’s voice, shouted and he looked up in surprise, though he regretted the sudden movement.  
  
He let out a startled sound as her frail frame crashed into his legs, around his knees and he barely caught himself on his staff in time. “Chantel, where are…” he began, and then he was hit in the mid-section by Aerfen as  _she_  cried out, “Mama!”  
  
He caught himself, barely, but the tackle from Peter sent him falling backwards.  
  
He dropped his staff as he shifted his arms, taking the brunt of the hit on them, jarring his entire body with a soft grunt so none of their arms were pinned. “Where’s…” he began, only to see Robin holding his staff with a smile.  
  
“Glad to see you are in one piece, Mama,” Robin greeted.  
  
Jack gave a grin and then the shadows condensed down until Pitch was standing there, looking unimpressed. “You slush-brained snowflake,” Pitch greeted and Jack sighed.  
  
Today was going to be one of  _those_  days apparently.  
  
Lovely.


	22. Low

Pitch never thought he would be relieved to see the Guardians, but he couldn’t have been more relieved when Jack’s first Frostmare had come charging back, reporting that Jack was in North’s Workshop.  
  
It was child’s play to get in and, knowing that it was safe, had let the children rush ahead, mostly so he could collect himself.  
  
When the first Frostmare, the Frostmares’ nightmare sand being the sand he had used to create Jack’s pendant, had told him Jack had been hurt, it had taken every ounce of Pitch’s self-control not to just panic. He was worried, frightened even, of the fact that Jack could have gotten caught by the Hunters, again. That maybe, this time, he wouldn’t be…okay.  
  
He had pushed those thoughts out and had sent the Frostmares out to find Jack.  
  
So, when the first Frostmare had returned, giving Pitch Jack’s location, Pitch knew that he only had one outlet for all his pent up panic.  
  
Jack.  
  
So when he stepped through, so very relieved that Jack was safe and sound (but where was his injury?), Pitch said, “You slush-brained snowflake.”  
  
The reaction from Jack was instantaneous, his sigh escaping with that tiny hitch of pain at the end.  
  
Which, of course, meant that Jack had injured himself  _again_. Probably because he had caught himself on the floor,  _again_ , because the little brats insisted on tackling him  _again_.  
  
Pitch would  _not_  be carrying him around if he strained his back because of this, again (though he would, because Jack wouldn’t ask, and wouldn’t fight and just curl against Pitch’s chest as best he could, despite how much it hurt, because he wasn’t used to it, even after all the years they had been together, though it was only an eye blink in comparison to the two  _centuries_ , give or take a few years, he had no one to take care of  _him_ ), and he crossed his arms. “And how on Earth did you end up here?” Pitch asked.  
  
Jack stared at him with a look, as the three continued to cling to Jack, preventing him from standing. The other Guardians watched with wide eyes, trying to comprehend, while Sandman, of course, drank eggnog calmly.  
  
Irritating little wisp.  
  
“I was thrown into a sack and tossed through a magic portal by a couple of yetis. It was great fun,” Jack answered, the sarcasm dripping of his voice on the last sentence making Pitch want to laugh while the first had him wanting to strangle the idiotic snowflake.  
  
Robin’s wings, however, were beginning to twitch rapidly, their shadowed form an odd contrast to Toothiana’s bright colored ones as she fluttered close in awe of Robin.  
  
Robin, however, wasn’t having any of it and snapped, “Back off!” causing her to fly back rapidly in surprise.  
  
Pitch gave Robin a look of approval before he focused back on Jack. “And  _how_  did two yetis catch you to throw you into a sack?” Pitch asked.  
  
“I followed a black blur, which turned out to be Bunny,” Jack answered.  
  
Peter released Jack instantly. “You’re on your own!” he exclaimed and hid behind Robin while Chantel hid her face against Jack’s knee and Aerfen hid her face into Jack’s chest.  
  
Pitch felt his control snap. “You did…did you learn  _nothing_  from the last time, you slush-brained lunatic?” he asked, but he continued on, not waiting for an answer.  
  
“No, of course not, because you took that risk  _again_! What is wrong with you? Have you lost what little brains you still possess? Or do you want to end up as a mangled, broken, bloody heap? Because if you keep doing such idiotic stunts like  _chasing after possible Hunters_ , on your own, when they nearly _ripped off your arm_  last time, I’ll be starting to think you have snow for brains! By all… you  _must_  have a death wish to keep doing idiotic things like that, you slush-brained, snow addled, snowflake!” Pitch ranted.  
  
Jack continued to stare calmly up at him, still pinned by two children, and watching.  
  
Pitch was taking a few deep breaths, pulling himself under control, and staring back at Jack when he noticed something.  
  
The corners of Jack’s eyes are scrunched up slightly and then Pitch registers what the moronic snowflake said earlier on another level.  
  
He deflates instantly, guilt taking up residence in his heart where the (not so) misplaced rage had been.  
  
Jack wasn’t  _invited_. He was thrown into a sack and tossed through.  
  
Jack, the addled-brained snowflake of Pitch’s heart (and the stress is getting to him for him to be thinking like that), probably has a horrendous headache made only worse by North’s booming voice, Toothiana’s hovering, and just Bunny being in the same room as Jack.  
  
And possibly also Sandman’s sand constantly glowing.  
  
And Pitch ranting at him when it wasn’t, entirely, Jack’s fault.  
  
Pitch let out a long sigh and Jack gave him a smile. “Feel better now?” Jack asked.  
  
“No,” Pitch answered.  
  
“Want to yell some more?” Jack questioned.  
  
“No. And I was not yelling. I was expressing myself in a loud voice,” Pitch responded and strode forward.  
  
Chantel peeked out and then released Jack’s knees, followed by Aerfen releasing Jack’s mid-section, both going over to stand next to Robin.  
  
Pitch then reached out his hand and Jack leaned up to take it, moving even when his hand trembled briefly half way to Pitch’s hand, and Pitch pulled him to his feet, feeling the tremor of pain that came from the action, though Pitch did not call him out on it, pointedly looking over Jack’s head and at none of the Guardians.  
  
The idiotic snowflake swayed slightly, but Robin handed him his staff, which Jack took and leaned on. “Yes, well, now that we have that cleared up…why are you here?” Pitch asked as he yanked his hand out of Jack’s grip.  
  
He did  _not_  hold hands with his lover while in the Guardians’ presence.  
  
“The Man in the Moon chose me as the next Guardian,” Jack answered with a tiny, one-shouldered shrug.  
  
Pitch resisted the urge to sigh at that.  
  
Yes, Jack had injured his back, again. However, Pitch twitched slightly as Jack’s words registered with him. “The Man in the Moon did  _what_?” Pitch questioned as stared at Jack.  
  
“Chose me to be the next Guardian,” Jack repeated.  
  
Pitch blinked a bit and turned to the skylight, glaring at the moon.  
  
“Why now?” Pitch demanded, ignoring Jack’s sigh.  
  
Pitch twitched when Manny remained silent. “No, of course not. The question  _is_  about Jack. He doesn’t  _deserve_  answers, does he?” Pitch muttered and covered his eyes, pinching the bridge of his nose as he took a deep breath.  
  
He glanced, cautiously, out of the corner of his eye at everyone, but no one seemed have heard, and really, the only one he cared about was Jack, and Jack could never hide his hurt when Pitch snapped and snarled at the Man in the Moon when he got fed up with the silence that fell when the question was about Jack.  
  
“Could someone tell me why our greatest enemy is standing here and we’re not doing anything?” Bunny demanded, drawing Pitch’s ire.  
  
“Oh, go…”  
  
“Finish that sentence and I will ice you where you stand,” Jack cut in and Pitch’s jaw snapped shut.  
  
Nightmare King or not, Pitch never crossed Jack when he threatened to ice him.  
  
Jack  _always_  followed through on that threat.  
  
Jack was also positioning himself so he was between Pitch and the rest of the Guardians. “I am here because some idiot decided it would be a good idea to toss Jack into a sack and throw him through a magic portal. Instead of being a reasonable Guardian and  _inviting_  him,” Pitch answered and Jack groaned as he leaned on his staff.  
  
“Look, we don’t need him! Especially since he’s all chummy with Pitch!” Bunny snapped and Jack rolled his eyes.  
  
“Who I am chummy with is no one’s concern but my own. Besides, it isn’t like I made it a secret. I didn’t hide it,” Jack argued as he stood up normally, Robin already herding the kids to the side.  
  
“Besides, you guys  _really_  don’t want me. I mean, you’re all about schedules and deadlines, while  _I’m_  all about snowballs and fun times,” Jack added with a shrug and Robin’s wings flicked up and down rapidly.  
  
Bunny stepped forward. “See? We  _don’t_  need someone like this here! When does  _he_  ever give the kids not his anything but colds and injuries?” Bunny argued toward North and Robin bared his teeth, now like a wolf’s fangs, at the implication while Peter glared and Aerfen hid a hand behind her back.  
  
Chantel slipped over to Pitch and held lightly onto his robe, which was probably a good idea because otherwise he would leap across the room and strangle the irritating Guardian of Hope.  
  
Guardian of Hope his…  
  
“Ever hear of a snow day? Pretty popular,” Jack shot back, as quick as a snowflake on the wind and Pitch calmed down.  
  
Everything was fine.  
  
“But none of them thank you for it, do they? At least  _I’m_  believed in,” Bunny answered and the silence that follows is one that can only come from utter shock at a situation.  
  
Because Pitch did not think, did not fathom, that _any_ Guardian (especially one who was Guardian of _Hope_ ) would stoop that low.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ...I like this chapter, for some reason. No special reasons, just like it.
> 
> Probably because I know what is going to happen next.


	23. Kith-Key

Mama has never handled the fact he has no believers well.  
  
This is a fact of life that Aerfen has grown up on. Aerfen Frost, she calls herself in the dark, when she thinks that no one can hear her, and writes it on the floor, tracing it through the dust, because she is her mother’s daughter, and nothing anyone can say, not even the fact she can call fire to her hands, fire that burns bright and sharp, as if kindled by some great feud.  
  
It is something that Aerfen knows. It has never bothered her, not since getting siblings that play with her and have time for her, even as Robin grows up and leaves them behind, an oddity in their life.  
  
Aerfen cannot understand someone throwing that back into his face.  
  
It is probably for the best that, of all the children, it is her that reacts first. “Why would you say that?” she demanded, surprising these people that mean nothing to her (though she recognizes that little fairies that hover around the larger version of themselves and, of course Sandy, but Sandy is just staring at this giant bunny, the Easter Bunny, in disappointment).  
  
She is moving forward and she stops when Jack gently grabs onto her shoulder.  
  
She wonders if he’s scared.  
  
She knows he’s hurt.  
  
She knows that he has a headache because he wasn’t invited, he was just hauled in. She knows that he will shake it off, and she knows that it is not the physical pain that bothers him, though it should.  
  
She knows he’s hurt by the words that this giant, stupid, fluffy, bunny has thrown at him. “Why would you say that? Why would you throw that in Mama’s face? It isn’t his fault that he doesn’t have believers! He’s made it snow, he’s created frost swirls, he’s played games, he’s been walked through and he’s defended children unseen from the Hunters! He’s done  _everything_  to be believed, and…why would you throw that into his face?” she asked, staring at him, trembling lightly.  
  
Mama is tugging at her shoulder slightly, but Aerfen ignores him. “Was it because you wanted to hurt him?” she asked, staring up at the bunny, this bringer of hope.  
  
Why?  
  
Why was he given his position if he tried to rip out what little hope had managed to take root in her Mama’s heart and blossom, somehow, there?  
  
The Easter Bunny didn’t answer her, however, not looking at her now, and she got angry. She felt Mama flinch back, having to back away as the heat flooded her being. “You know what?  _He_  doesn’t need  _you_!  _You_  need  _him_! The Man in the Moon chose  _him_! So apologize, right now, and mean it!” she snarled, and she felt Peter step up next to her.  
  
There was a soft fluttering sound and she saw Robin fly away from the group, ignoring them.  
  
Probably for the best.  
  
If Robin got angry, he would do nasty things to people.  
  
However, before any of the Guardians could speak, Robin’s head twitched to the side.  
  
Without warning, he was off, across the room, his hand snapping something out of the shadows and he snarled lowly, once again revealing his wolf like teeth as he held a squirming creature that seemed to be a cross between a salamander and a vulture in looks while being about the size of a rat.  
  
Aerfen thought it was rather adorable in an ugly sort of way.  
  
She wondered if Mama would let her keep it as a pet if Robin let it live.  
  
It screeched and tried to yank its wings out of Robin's tight grip and Aerfen felt her rage leave her instantly while Peter pushed himself up more using Aerfen’s shoulders to get a better look.  
  
“What that?” North asked as Robin tightened his hold on the creature, earning a pathetic squeal sound as it became well and truly trapped.  
  
“A spy,” Robin answered simply, eyeing it.  
  
“Someone’s been watching,” he added and a grin, cruel and vicious, spread across his face.  
  
“Robin,” Mama said and the smile fell and Robin sighed, landing.  
  
He held it up, closer, and it turned to look at Robin in the eyes, trembling.  
  
And then a frown pulled at Robin's face and he cocked his head to the right. “Kith-key?” Robin questioned and the being stopped struggling.  
  
It let out a low, chirring, sound and Robin blinked, before he carefully shifted so it could perch in the palm of his free hand. “Kith-key, what are you doing here?” he questioned.  
  
It whistled and rumbled at him, and Robin looked around. He then knelt down and held his hand out, whistling lowly. Immediately the shadows erupted and more beings like Kith-key rushed out. Tooth squeaked and flew up rapidly, and they settled on or near Robin.  
  
Soon, they numbered over fifty, in varying shades of woodsy colors, though Kith-key was the color of shadows still.  
  
Robin stared at them and he blinked rapidly, as if processing new information.  
  
“Robin?” Mama called softly.  
  
Robin looked at the beings, then at Kith-key, before he slowly stood up. He was still staring at Kith-key and Mama took a step forward, the beings parting before him with reverence.  
  
Aerfen watched them and Mama carefully placed a hand on Robin's shoulder.  
  
"Robin?" Mama called again and that pulled Robin back to them.  
  
And he turned to face Mama, eyes searching his face for an answer that Aerfen knew Mama could not give.  
  
“I’m one of the Fae,” Robin breathed.


	24. A Locked Door (References to PTSD and Holocaust)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Jack hasn't really had therapy for what happened during WWII. So certain things are going to trigger him. Like, say...a door shutting and locking behind him without his consent?

 

* * *

 

Jack blinked in surprise and then Robin smiled a bit before he turned back to Kith-key.  
  
”I…was important. I was…I did something, something great, and…and I was supposed to die, but I didn’t! The…there was a war. A great war. The Fae…the Fae, they were divided, and…and something, horrible, was rising out. And I agreed…I agreed to do something…and I’ve lost it,” Robin began to recite, before he sighed.  
  
Kith-key warbled and Robin gave him a look. “Yeah, I guessed that when I realized it was the intention to die. Heroic Sacrifice apparently allows you to live, but without your memories, or anything. And you only grow if someone…” he began and stopped, before he looked up at Jack.  
  
Jack who gave a small smile and then, carefully, hugged him, though the odd creatures moved out of Jack’s way. “I always knew you had done something wonderful in your past life,” he whispered.  
  
Robin’s wings trembled briefly before he hugged Jack back tightly, burying his head into Jack’s shoulder. Jack just held him close, noticing that Robin was almost taller than him now.  
  
So it was true.  
  
Boys always grew taller than their mothers.  
 

* * *

Jack had followed North after the Easter Kangaroo apologized, though Jack knew that he would go back to throwing whatever it was in his face once the shame of being yelled at by a little girl wore off.

Jack did not have any illusions that Bunny would ever accept him.  
  
He was oddly at peace with that, so long as Bunny didn’t throw the fact he had no believers into his face. That, however, was as unlikely to happen as the sun rising in the west.  
  
The creatures had fluttered after Jack at first, watching with bright eyes. They stared at him in awe, which made him feel uncomfortable.  
  
They tried to bite Pitch twice, much to Robin’s amusement however and Jack’s slight frustration.  
  
That was the main reason he had followed North.  
  
Well, that and to wave at Phil as he passed and idly mention how he always wanted to see inside, spinning around slightly as he did. It was freeing in an odd way not to worry about his children, and he smiled a bit.  
  
It scared him too, because he worried about forgetting them if he was gone away from them too long.  
  
They headed to North’s icy workshop and Jack looked around in wonder at the coldness.  
  
At least until the door shut and locked behind him and Jack backed against instantly, screams of terror, of fear, raising in the back of Jack’s mind, echoing cries he only heard in his nightmares now, on bad days at least.  
  
It made the bile rise up in the back of his throat and he turned down the fruitcake. He notices the shadows lengthen in response to his own fear and he is barely here, he can hear the pleadings and the toy is a nice distraction, the living darkness a comfort.  
  
But that does not stop relief from flooding his being when the door opens and the voices become white noise.  
  
He knows, when he sleeps tonight, he will wake screaming and sobbing and shaking while Pitch holds him gently, or shows him that they are really abandoned, those hell holes are really no longer in operation.  
  
And then Bunny tells them that there is trouble at the Tooth Palace.


	25. Tooth Palace

Jack frowned as he stepped out to see Pitch whispering to his lead Nightmare. “What does Night Song say?” Jack asked as Pitch withdrew, the Nightmare taking off.

“Hunters are attacking a remote village. Robin went ahead with those _things_ with him…except that one,” Pitch explained and Jack nearly jumped right out of his skin when he felt something land on his shoulder. He glanced over and smiled a bit as he saw Kith-key on his shoulder before he frowned at Pitch. “I’m going as well. Robin may be getting his memories back, but his ability as a tactition leaves something to be desired,” Pitch explained and Jack smiled, leaning up slightly, almost begging for a kiss, before he remembered where they were.

Jack was about to withdraw, and smiled when Pitch gave him a kiss.

“Be safe,” Jack stated and Pitch gave a smile.

“Aren’t I always?” Pitch returned and then disappeared into the shadows while Jack snorted softly before turning and finding that North was staring at him in shock, along with Bunny.

Jack stared and then turned to North. “Tooth Palace?” he questioned as saw Sandy ushering the remaining children to where Phil had set aside a safe place for them.

Jack immediately flew over and Phil waved at him. Jack smiled and landed before the three. “Be safe. Listen to Phil. Don’t wander off,” Jack stated and pressed a kiss to their foreheads, even Peter’s, which surprised Jack.

“Be safe, Mama,” Chantal stated, her accented voice soothing Jack’s nerves.

“Aren’t I always?” Jack answered and then ran after Sandy, who was waving for him to hurry up.

Chantal frowned while Aerfen muttered, “No.”

* * *

Jack shook his head. “I am not riding in any rickety sleigh! I have children to think about!” Jack snapped while Kith-key chirred in agreement.

“And a being of fear to kiss?” Bunny retorted and Jack glared.

“My life choices are _my_ life choices. And it isn’t like I just tumbled into bed with him for a night. He’s been…he’s been there for me since World War II. For me and my kids, and he was there for them first, so before you say one more thing about him, think. I know it isn’t your forte,” Jack shot back, only to get interrupted by Bunny going, “What did you say?”

Jack was about to snarl back when North stepped between them and turned Jack around as the doors began to open. Jack let out a soft gasp of sound as the reindeer began to prance forth, drawing with them a heavy sleigh that was far from _rickety_. Jack let out a low sigh and a grin split across his face.

The desire for fun raced through him and he turned to North. “One ride,” he answered and hopped in, followed by Sandy settling next to him.

Jack turned slightly back, but there were no windows to see his children.

And then they were off, the rush of adrenaline fueled fun flooding his veins as they were off.

Kith-key chirped and cheered the whole way through.

It was gone the minute they erupted into the land of the Tooth Palace, the sky filled with misty versions of the Hunters. “They’re taking the tooth fairies!” Jack exclaimed and he took off towards one that was dodging around, trying to escape and he deftly caught the tooth fairy, letting out a primal snarl as he blasted the misty Hunter, the Wind racing to bring Jack back to the sleigh, Jack landing calmly while Kith-key clung, letting out soft whirs of worry, nosing Jack’s hair, but he’s focused on the little fairy in his hand.

“You okay Baby Tooth?” he questioned gently, running a gentle finger over her head.

She chirped a little and the fairy jumped up to land next to Kith-key, who shifted so the fairy could rest against him. Jack settled, gripping his staff, and his eyes narrowed a bit.

He didn’t have time to stay angry as North shoved the reins into his hands and Sandy began to use his sand to shove at the Hunters, the beings letting out a screech before breaking apart. Jack just focused on driving, calling out a word of warning before they half crashed, the reindeer snorting as they trotted in place before the Guardians (and Jack), jumped out.

He spun his staff around and held it defensively just in time to blast apart a Hunter, teeth capsules spilling out and onto his feet. “Why are they taking the teeth?” Jack questioned softly and he looked up when he heard Tooth’s gasping cries.

“They took them! They took them all! All my fairies!” Tooth cried and Jack knew that cry.

He watched Baby Tooth fly up and Tooth probably would have cried in relief when she saw the little fairy. “Oh, one of you got through,” she praised softly.

Jack gave a smile at reunited mother and daughter and began to look around, not even pausing when he one of his Frostmares stepped out of the shadows with a shake, her frost markings like starbursts across her coat, and streaking through her mane and tail, slipping through the shadows with barely a sound, just a whoosh of sand.

“Oh, my. The big four. I feel so honored,” a voice, female, greets and Jack whirls around while Kith-key whimpers in fear, burying himself into Jack’s neck.

“And what’s this? Jack Frost, here? With you four? And here I thought you’d kill him yourself whenever you found out about his King. Or those children he kept finding and saving,” the voice continues and Jack twirls his staff around warningly.

“I think the Guardians are a bit against, you know, death,” Jack answered and jumped when a woman appeared in front of him, dark tresses and dead pale skin.

“Oh, but I think…not,” she stated and disappeared in a rush of mist, appearing above.

“You see, their very existence threatens ours. And by ours, I mean the Fae such as myself and even that little traitor hiding against your neck,” she answered.

“Who are you and where are my fairies?” Tooth demanded, suddenly very much a warrior queen and the misty woman laughed.

“My, my, touchy, aren’t we? What do you care? They’re _just_ ,” she begins to taunt, but Tooth is shooting through the air, only to let out a cry and fall back when a Hunter jumps out of nowhere with a snarl.

“Oh, dear me. It seems I still have creatures loyal to me, despite what it would seem,” she murmured and pet the Hunter, which had taken some sort of wolfish-unicorn, look to it.

Jack really wasn’t questioning why it looked that way.

Tooth’s eyes narrowed again and, then the misty woman smirked a bit as the Tooth Palace began to turn to dust and Jack looked around in confusion. “What’s going on?” he asked.

“He doesn’t know? Oh, dear, that’s _naughty_ , not telling the _one spirit_ with _no believers_ this, something that the Fae who have been locked away for _years_ know! Well, the Guardians, if children stop believing in them, fade away. And right now, all over the world, children are _waking up_ and realizing…there’s _no such thing_ as the Tooth Fairy,” the woman cackled out.

Kith-key burbled in his ear and Jack eyed the misty woman, who was smiling.

Well, she was showing teeth.

“And, with the fall of the Guardians, the Fae will rise to take their place. Because, you four, are the only things standing between the Fae, and the children we need,” the woman stated.

And _that_ got them springing into action.

“Starburst, after her!” Jack ordered and Frostmare rushed out of the shadows, immediately clashing with the misty Hunter.

Who got torn apart.

Viciously, in fact.

Jack, as he danced past the Frostmare, praised her warmly, even as they lost the misty woman, which caused North to let out shout of rage.

It seems they had a new player on the field.

Jack wasn’t sure how to feel about that. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *hides in a bunker*


	26. Eerie Calls

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So after a year plus hiatus due to completely unrelated things, sorta, I've finally come back to this.
> 
> Sorry it took so long.

Jack flitted about with amusement as he raced against the Guardians to collect the teeth.

Admittedly, when North had first suggested this, Jack had thought it was a bit…odd that it was North who had come up with it. The large giver of toys was…not exactly someone Jack had pegged for a tactician. Then again, he hadn’t thought Chantel was one and she could _almost_ outmaneuver Pitch in chess. He had experience as a real tactician (sometimes, he would murmur things about troops in his sleep that Jack would swear were something akin to listening to a general of an army over just his Nightmare King) and a great many more years on their small daughter.

Chantel, however, sometimes got sparks of moments that had Pitch crossing his arms and frowning, which was ridiculously adorable since it was the closest Pitch ever got to pouting.

As he touched down in the final home and couldn’t help but smile when he saw that it was Jamie’s house, chuckling when he saw Sophie was already starting to wake up. He hesitated slipping into Jamie’s room before he shrugged and slipped around to check on Sophie, who was wiggling madly across her bed, twisting herself up in her covers. He chuckled a bit and leaned in slightly.

_“Jaaaack.”_

Jack spun on his heel, looking away from Sophie, and staring out at the mist covered world. He backed away slightly and nearly jumped out of his skin when Toothiana hummed up in front of him. “Jack, what’s wrong?” she asked softly as Baby Tooth landed on the shoulder opposite of Kith-key, who had become oddly silent upon hearing the voice echo through the mist.

“Nothing. Let’s get that last tooth and show everyone you know your game better than anyone!” Jack answered and Toothian giggled before she zipped back off to Jamie’s window.

_“Jaaaaack!”_

Jack shook all over, ignoring the worried chirp of Kith-key and Baby Tooth’s little hand patting his earlobe before he took off after Toothiana.

* * *

Jack perched on his staff as he watched Tooth hover over Jamie. “Why did you stop?” Jack asked and Tooth looked over at him.

“What?” she inquired.

“Why did you stop doing this? Coming to at least see some of the kids, if too many were in need of you,” Jack asked.

“Why did you take in those kids of yours?” Tooth inquired softly.

“Because they are adorable,” Jack responded and smiled at her wide-eyed stare.

“And they needed me. Robin won’t, for much longer, but the rest still need me, more or less. Sometimes a bit less,” Jack answered with a small shrug and smiled as he watched Jamie twitch in his sleep, even as Tooth smiled at the tooth (molar, maybe) she was holding in her hand.

“Mysterious ice that wasn’t there earlier suddenly there, allowing the sled to go on a wild ride through the streets, ending up with a crash encounter with a sofa. Wonder what caused that?” she stated, giving Jack a look and Jack smiled.

“I wonder,” Jack responded softly.

“Shame on you, doing that,” Tooth scolded and Jack chuckled.

“It was fun and I was right there. I wouldn’t have let anything happen to him! Beyond the…sofa, which was an accident,” Jack responded.

“Exactly! You should have been more careful!” Tooth hissed and Jack gave a smile as his head twitched to the side.

“It was because I didn’t _fear_ the consequences,” Jack stated and she stilled.

“See? Fear is good, in the right amount of doses. Too much is bad, but not having any is worse. No fear makes kids do things they shouldn’t or even put adults in the line of fire for anything that comes along,” he continued and Tooth’s wings hummed through the air as she stared at him.

“But…” she protested, but never finished as the rest of the group came in.

Really, Jack should have seen that coming, them waking up Jamie and the eyes, and light, passing straight through him to not even cast a shadow. Without believers, he was a spirit with no ties to the world beyond those he himself had forged.

So when the eerie howling began, Jack hadn’t thought twice. “Sandy, come on! We have to go or they’ll take the children!” he called, balancing on the windowsill.

When Sandy hesitated, Jack bounced a little, fear replacing his blood. “Sandy…they _will_ take them. I know. I’ve seen it! If they get into Burgess, they’ll steal the children from their beds and in this modern age, no one will ever go after those they should! We need to go, now!” Jack pressed.

With a twitch, Sandy sighed and nodded, immediately flying after Jack.

The Winter Spirit had no idea what was about to come to pass as he leapt forth into battle.


End file.
